Final Fantasy: Rise of Armasa
by DarkPhazonElite
Summary: So I'm likely gonna be re-writing this some more. Needs more depth and characterization of some of the villains, and a stronger plot. Lol So come back later!
1. Chapter 1

**_"I can't just mope and brood for gods know how long. I gotta do something about this whole situation."_**

* * *

 _March 3rd, 2119._

"It's a boy!" The technician said happily. Two soon-to-be parents watched in awe as they saw their unborn son on the ultrasound screen.

"I've always wanted a son!" said the father, tears of joy welling up in his eyes.

"Me too, and I think he will have a great man to look up to." said the mother with a smile as she squeezed her fiancée's hand.

"I'm so excited, Serileine! I can't wait until we are a family of three!" said the father with happy tears streaming down his face.

Serileine's eyes welled up as well as she said, "Me neither. I love you so much, Aran!" They kissed.

* * *

 _One month later._

"Wow, that stuff stinks! I don't know if I should be in here while you are doing that!" Serileine said to Aran as he was painting the nursery.

"Oh it'll be fine, sweetie! You worry way too much, and that's worse for the baby than some random water based paint fumes, ya know?" said Aran with a mischievous grin.

Serileine heaved a sigh and said "You men don't worry about anything, do you?"

"It's not that, it's just that 'we men' tend to worry about things much more important than paint fumes!" replied Aran, laughing a little bit.

Serileine rolled her brown eyes, shook her head and sighed, then smiled and said "Oh whatever, Aran. I guess I'm just a little stressed out from everything that's going on. I'm just so tired of Sumestris controlling everything."

"I understand, love! But don't worry, me and the others are planning to overthrow them soon enough! Between me, my family, and the Hunter's Guild, I believe we can pull it off."

"What? Why!?" Serileine's exclaimed with deep concern.

"Why not? Why wouldn't we go after them?"

"It's because...well I just worry about you, ok!?" Seriliene replied with exasperation, placing her hand over her chest.

"I understand, but I'm tired of living like this. Curfews, rations, ridiculous cost of living...something's gotta give. Seiyomari Castle is basically just a glorified mansion, and Cid is king in name only." Aran calmly replied, closing his eyes.

"I suppose you're right. Anyways, can I get you something to drink, dear?"

"Sure, I'll have a beer. I know my 21st birthday is next week, but it's not like I haven't had a drink before, courtesy of the King himself!" said Aran, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well I won't tell anyone if you don't!" said Serileine with a smile as she went to go get the beer. Within minutes, there was a loud explosion in the distance.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! SERILEINE ARE YOU OK?!" shouted Aran as he threw the paint roller on the floor and darted toward the kitchen.

"I'm okay, Aran! It came from the direction of the castle!" yelled Serileine in a concerned tone.

"Shit! I have to go help the others! Serileine, you get to the basement and stay hidden!"

"Please be careful, Aran!" They embraced and kissed passionately and then Aran put his gloves on and headed for the castle.

"Shit," Aran thought to himself as he sped down the road. There were helicopters and airships flying overhead. "I hope they are ok!" He drove faster, concern welling up within him.

Moments later, he saw a group of people standing in the middle of the road, and quickly slammed on his brakes. He jumped out of the car and shouted, "What the hell are you idiots doing standing in the middle of the godsdamn road!?"

"Hold it right there, boy!" screamed a large agent. There were three other men with him, all pointing guns at Aran. "We can't have any heroes today. That would ruin our plan and make our boss very upset!" said one of the lackeys in a snotty tone.

"Ha, I'm no hero! Just a man on a mission to help his friends!" Aran said loudly as he slowly advanced towards them.

"And what's the godsdamned difference!?" Another lackey shouted in response.

"You have until I count to five to get out of my way! Or I'll SHOW y'all the difference!" Aran glared icily at the agents and stepped forward. "One."

The agents just stared defiantly at Aran, standing their ground.

"Five." Aran growled, and immediately darted for the group, dodging the laser blasts. He socked the largest of the agents square in the face, sending him sailing several feet.

"Huh!? Such speed and strength! What are you!?" One of the lackeys exclaimed in utter shock. From his point of view, Aran said "Five.", then his leader got launched within a second. Whether or not the leader survived was unclear, for he was lying motionless on the ground, face covered in blood.

"Get out of my way or you're next." Aran firmly warned the remaining agents.

"Never! Our higher-ups would kill us if we turn tail and run! Better to die with dignity!" Another lackey shouted, sounding a bit frightened. This one sounded a bit on the young side.

Aran approached that particular agent, snatched him by his arm and jerked his helmet off, revealing what appeared to be a frightened teenage boy. "What the...how old are you!?" Aran asked, shouting in the boy's face.

"I-I'm seventeen! It's my duty to carry out my mission at all costs...we were ordered to terminate you and anyone associated or die trying!"

"No. Fuck that shit." Aran grumbled as he knocked the boy unconscious and called for an ambulance. "Send five of them." he said just before hanging up. He aggressively cracked his knuckles and beat down the remaining agents with standard combat moves. "Maybe I don't think of myself as a hero, but these boys deserve better..."

After a few minutes, cops and ambulances began arriving at the scene. One of the cops questioned Aran.

"Officer, these boys were forced into carrying out this mission. It was a suicide mission from Sumestris. Their leader though, he's another story." Aran explained, somewhat sympathetically.

"Very well. This is bad, Aran. They've stormed the castle!" The officer replied, with extreme worry.

"I know, I was on my way before I was stopped here. I need to get there and help the others! Please, be careful!" Aran heartily shook the cop's hand and bid him farewell.

Aran soon arrived at his destination and discovered that the explosion came from Markas firing a missile at the attackers and destroying the castle wall. It would seem that they were able to defend themselves quickly. Aran heaved a sigh of relief and ran toward his companions.

"Aran! You made it!" squealed Saraiah Raynes as she whacked an agent with her nunchucks.

"Bout time, Aran! Tha hell took ya so long!?" yelled Markas Weston as he fired a round of bullets, taking down six agents.

"Pipe down will ya!? I came as soon as I heard the explosion! And I had to deal with a few idiots standing in the middle of the road!" yelled Aran as he jumped into battle with his friends. "Is the king safe?" asked Aran as he kicked another agent in the abdomen.

"Yes, he and Uncle Alex are escorting the townspeople to the castle shelter right now!" replied Saraiah as she flung two kunai knives at two agents, killing them both. "Amber is with them as well!" she continued, referring to her childhood best friend.

"Damn it, we're outnumbered! We need backup, yo!" shouted Markas as he fired another missile.

"Got ya covered! Ya better stay close to me!" yelled Aran as he raised his fist in the air, took a deep breath, and let out a loud ki-yap as he pounded the ground, completely shattering the large stone courtyard and knocking out and burying most of the agents.

"Thanks, man." said Markas, heaving a sigh of relief. "Ain't enough ammo in the world to get rid of all of 'em!"

"No problem, buddy!" said Aran, breathing heavily. "Man, that sure took it outta me though! Phew! Y'all are gonna have to get by without me for a bit!"

Saraiah excitedly exclaimed, "Nice one, Aran! That was so cool!" Then, they heard another explosion, this time it was definitely not from Markas.

"DAMN IT! They're heading towards my house! Serileine is a sitting duck!" shouted Aran. "Oh my Gods, the emergency response workers were over that way! We need to get there, FAST!"

To which Saraiah yelled, "Alright, let's go then!" The three of them quickly boarded Aran's sleek green convertible, and with haste Aran sped towards his house.

After several minutes, they came upon a horrific sight. It was where Aran had left the cops to deal with the unconscious agents. A large crater was blown in the road and the houses facing that street were destroyed. There appeared to be no survivors. The cops, the EMTs, even the Sumestris agents that Aran had previously spared, including the teenage boy. "No..." Aran said quietly as he felt his chest aching.

Saraiah climbed out of the car and gasped in horror, then covered her face and began crying. "H-how horrible! All those innocent people!"

"What tha hell man!? Who done this? Show yaself!" Markas shouted as he aimed his assault rifle.

The three of them walked around the large hole in the ground, and looked, with some shred of hope, for possible survivors.

"A-anyone, Aran?" Saraiah asked, pretty much already knowing the answer.

Aran simply closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Godsdammit! I've found none either..." Markas said, hanging his head.

"We need to find Serileine. Let's go! There's nothing we can do here until Dad and Alex are done." Aran said, determined to save his beloved and their unborn son.

The three shuffled off towards Aran's house, where they were soon stopped by more agents. One of them, a fairly large man, had Serileine. His beam pistol was aimed point blank at her head.

"Aran!" Serileine shouted when she took sight of her lover and his companions. The large man jerked her backwards when she tried to pull away.

"Serileine! It's alright!" Aran yelled in reply, before glaring menacingly at her captor. "It's best you let her go right now." he demanded with a low growl.

"I'm afraid I cannot comply with your request, boy! We were asked to bring her in! Whether it's dead or alive is up to you!"

"We're taking her alive, right now!" Saraiah shouted as she snapped her fingers, casting a time-freezing spell. "Wait...what's going on!?" she exclaimed with frustration when the spell quickly wore off.

"Young lady, your magic has no effect on us! You could say we've done our homework before we attacked!" The large agent replied, before he snatched Serileine by the hair and tossed her to the ground. He then kicked her in the side, barely missing her belly. Serileine yelped in pain.

Within seconds the large agent found himself pinned on his back by his throat, Aran's wolfish crimson gaze bearing down on him. "Wha...what are you..."

Saraiah and Markas both engaged the other four agents. Saraiah strategically flailed her nunchucks, while most of her attacks landed, they didn't seem to do much damage. Markas was dealing with a similar situation. "Shit! Markas, this isn't looking good!" Saraiah shouted in frustration.

"Agents! End this now! Get this demon boy off of me!" The large agent had yelled after managing to get slightly free of Aran's grip.

"Yes sir!" One agent yelled as he pulled a large gun off of his back, charged it up, and blasted Aran with it, sending him flying several feet.

"Aran, NO!" Serileine shouted in horror, for it appeared Aran was severely injured at best.

"Aran! Markas, I'll go to him, you get Serileine out of here, now!" Saraiah loudly commanded as she made haste to where Aran was lying motionless.

Saraiah and Markas were soon interrupted by a huge explosion which had sent them both sailing. Everything went black.

* * *

 _Three years later._

"So Saraiah, are we going to go see Aran in the hospital again?" A young woman with golden hair said to the young red-headed princess as the two of them brushed their hair.

"Of course we are, Amber! They expect him to wake up any day now!" said Saraiah, with a hopeful smile. "I can't believe it's been three years. Everything was turned upside down since that day." She closed her eyes for a moment and placed her hairbrush on her vanity.

"I bet you're quite excited! It would explain why you're getting so prettied up!" said Amber with a giggle as she passed a tube of pink lip gloss to Saraiah.

"For Aran? Don't be silly! He's like my brother! We broke up a long time ago!" Saraiah scoffed as she applied the gloss.

"Your crimson face tells me otherwise, hunny!" said Amber as she folded her arms across her chest and laughed. "But, he is pretty damn attractive."

"Why don't you ask him out then, Amby?" Saraiah suggested, somewhat jokingly. "Well…he'll need to take time to grieve Serileine and their son." Her expression turned somber.

"That's right…he hasn't been awake since the explosion! Oh dear, poor guy."

"Yeah…and why did Sumestris do something like that? We still haven't figured out why they targeted Serileine of all people. She was completely harmless!" Saraiah said as her eyebrows furrowed. "And also, Aran took the full brunt of the blast, and still survived. He even looks completely normal. I wonder how that's even possible."

"She really was. And you're right about Aran. There's something about him. Something we aren't being told. That whole thing seems really suspicious to me, like it was staged, almost."

"Amber, that's nonsense! Who would stage that?" Saraiah exclaimed, eyes widened with shock.

"Right, I'm probably looking way too far into that." Amber shrugged before standing up from the vanity stool. "Shall we get going?

* * *

"What the-wha wha huh? Where am I?" exclaimed Aran as he abruptly awoke. "I'm alive. How the hell…?" He looked around the hospital room and first, his gaze fell on a calendar on the wall. "April 6th-! 2122?! Three years have passed?!"

The table in front of him caught his attention. It had several cards and bouquets of flowers. _"Saraiah…she must be ok. Thank goodness."_ The cards included three birthday cards, and a sympathy card.

He looked at the sympathy card and had a flashback of events leading up to his hospitalization. "No. No. It can't be..." He felt his heart drop and his body began shaking. He began shouting in anguish, eyes hot with tears as he quickly figured out that his fiancée and unborn son were dead. He cursed and screamed, then he said to himself through gritted teeth, "I swear each and every one of those bastards will die a slow and painful death if it's the last fucking thing I do!"

He then heard footsteps, and quickly laid back down, faking unconsciousness. He listened as a familiar and unfriendly voice began speaking to him. "Looks like you are still alive. How lucky and unfortunate. And yet not surprising, considering what you are. Look how pathetic you are, lying here completely defenseless. HA!" It was the leader of the agents who killed Serileine. He prepared a syringe with a deadly poison. "What a shame, such a strong warrior reduced to a useless vegetable, unable to defend himself from someone about to inject a deadly poison into his I.V. Hahaha! What the-!" he turned towards Aran who was laying there, his red eyes wide open and full of fury.

"Yeah, I don't think so, you dickless sack of shit!" he yelled as he lurched forward and grabbed his intruder by the collar. He slammed his fist into the agent's nose twice, then he snatched the syringe and stabbed the agent in the neck, injecting the poison into him. Aran whispered into his ear in a demented tone, "Now who is pathetic and defenseless? Looks like I get the last laugh after all. Think, just think, as you slowly and painfully die."

The agent squeaked and whimpered in pain.

"Think about all of the lives you have ended. Think of all the lives you have RUINED. Think about my beloved Serileine and our unborn child, how you mercilessly killed them even though they did NOTHING TO YOU!"

The agent weakly reached up slowly in an attempt to grab Aran by the throat, but was grabbed by the throat instead. "Don't even try to fight. It's useless."

"Please…" squeaked the agent, "have mercy…"

"MERCY! You want me to have MERCY!? What about Serileine? What about our son? Where the hell was YOUR mercy?!" snapped Aran as tears began streaming down his face. "You have some nerve begging me for mercy." Aran tightened his grip around the agent's neck. "Heh, I'd tell you to say hi to Serileine and our son for me, but I know you won't see them where you are going."

"You foolish demon boy, she-" the agent couldn't finish his sentence as he succumbed to the poison.

Aran heaved a sigh, and said "You're the one who is foolish." He slowly stood back up, and sat on his bed.

Just then, Saraiah burst into the room. "Oh my gods, Aran! You're ok! You're AWAKE! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" she squealed as she ran over and threw her arms around him. Amber soon walked in after her.

"Ow ow, ok! Take it easy, I'm still recovering!" said Aran as he gently pushed her away.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just so happy! I've missed you so much!" said Saraiah, as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Just try again without tackling me, ok?" said Aran with a smile.

Saraiah gave him a gentle hug. "Better?"

"Much. Hello, Amber!" he had turned and smiled at the tall blonde.

"Welcome back, Aran!" Amber replied as she gently hugged him.

Saraiah turned her attention to the corpse on the ground. "Dang, what the hell happened here?" she gasped. "Oh my Gods! That's the guy from-"

"Yeah. Poor sonuvabitch didn't see it coming. Hehe. One less piece of shit in this galaxy…"

"Wow, not bad for having been under for so long!" Amber exclaimed, looking impressed.

"Well, I'm glad to see you haven't changed! Ruthless and cold blooded as always." Saraiah paused and shrugged. "Yet you still have a heart of gold. How do you pull it off?"

"I guess it's a guy thing." Aran also shrugged.

"I guess so! That's one thing I like about you."

Aran gave a sheepish grin and shrugged again. "Anyways, just explain to me what happened after…you know…" he hung his head and his expression grew somber.

Saraiah's amused expression faded as well and she grew serious. "After you were blasted with the plasma gun, an explosion occurred that knocked me and Markas unconscious. Daddy, Uncle Alex, Amber, and a few others found all of us. Meaning just the three of us. Aran..."

"I already know, Saraiah...that sympathy card told me everything."

"I'm so sorry, I should have waited until you woke up to give you the news..."

Aran remained silent, eyes closed and tears cascading down his face. After a few moments, he finally said, with a broken voice, "But how? How am I alive?"

"I don't know, Aran. I was told it was classified."

"Classified? Why the hell is it classified?" said Aran.

"Aran, it's because such information being kept under wraps is best for the kingdom." said Amber, with a serious expression.

Aran furrowed his eyebrows, and heaved a defeated sigh. The room grew silent once more.

After a minute or two, Saraiah began to speak again. "Anyways, they tried and tried to wake you up, but you were so stubborn!"

Aran rolled his eyes. "Not like I had a choice…"

"The good news was that you were slowly but surely improving! They were eventually able to remove your ventilator! Just this morning they removed your feeding tube and gave you a new I.V. to keep you hydrated! They had high hopes that you would be waking up sometime in the next few days!"

"Wow, sorry I freaked you all out. I promise I didn't do it on purpose…" said Aran sarcastically.

"Oh hush, we know that! We were still worried! No need to apologize!"

"Sorry…"

"Aran!"

"Ok ok! Alright! Anyways…how do you know for sure that they...?" Aran's expression grew somber yet again as he asked the dreaded question.

Saraiah closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm afraid that Daddy saw no sign of them. The explosion must have…vaporized them." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she said that. "All he found were these."

She pulled Serileine's stun pistol and engagement ring out of her bag and gave them to Aran. He took the singed, melted pistol and ring from her and stared at them for a few moments, reminiscing the day he asked her to marry him, then cried bitterly. Saraiah embraced her brother as he sobbed and shook violently in her arms. She cried with him and stroked his hair as she said softly, "I'm so sorry, Aran."

"It's just not fair! Why did it have to be them? They never did anything wrong!" said Aran through tears.

"I…I don't know." said Saraiah softly as she released her embrace, looked at Aran, touched his face with both hands, and touched her forehead to his. Aran took her hands and they both closed their eyes and sat in silence for a few minutes. Amber quietly sat down in one of the guest chairs, with a distraught expression. She didn't quite know what to say.

Their silence was broken when a tall, pretty, dark haired, bespectacled female doctor of about fifty entered the room. "Oh! Mr. Aran, you're awake! Glad to see you are doing well!" she said happily. "Hello, Saraiah and Amber!"

"Yes, thank you so much, Dr. Frank! He was awake when I came in fifteen minutes ago! Aran, this is Dr. Samantha Frankewicz. We call her Dr. Frank for short." said Saraiah.

"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am." said Aran, extending his hand and forcing a smile after his recent breakdown. "Thank you for all you have done."

Dr. Frank shook his hand and smiled warmly, then the corpse on the floor caught her eye. "Oh my, what on earth happened!?" she exclaimed.

"Oh that…" said Aran, sheepishly. "That's the guy who killed my fiancée and unborn son. He tried to kill me. It didn't go over too well for him. Perhaps I overdid it…" Aran grabbed his right shoulder and began rotating it slowly while wincing and letting out a big sigh.

Dr. Frank shook her head and sighed, then said "Well, I guess it's safe to assume you've recovered rather well, but you need to take it easy for one more day! You overexerted yourself, but I guess I can understand why! He was wanted dead or alive for quite some time now, and he was foolish enough to come here." She walked over to his I.V. drip and injected pain medication into the tubes. "That should take the edge off for a bit."

"Thank you, Dr. Frank."

"Oh, just call me Sam, no need for formalities anymore!"

"Ok, Sam."

Dr. Frank smiled, then said, "I will share the news of your awakening with your father and your friend Markas. I will have my assistant write up your discharge papers. But!" she paused and looked sternly at Aran, "BUT! You need to relax for at least 24 hours! I know it'll be difficult, but it's VITAL in your recovery! You hear? I better not see you again for a while! I know you have uncanny innate healing, but you still need to rest!"

"Yes ma'am, Dr. Frank, I mean, Sam. I'll try." said Aran, shrugging his shoulders.

"You better. Saraiah, you make sure of it!"

"Will do, Sam!" said Saraiah, playfully pointing a kunai knife at Aran. Aran rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Anyways, I'm going to get those papers for you, I'll return shortly. Amber, would you please come with me?" Dr. Frank turned to leave, and Amber nodded and followed suit.

"Crud. I don't like sitting around doing nothing! This blows." grumbled Aran, folding his arms across his chest.

"I understand Aran, but you don't want to end up back here, do ya?" said Saraiah, holding out her arms and facing her palms upward.

"Nah, three years is freaking long enough." said Aran.

Saraiah's cell phone started ringing. "It's Daddy! Just a sec. Hey Daddy! Yes! It's true he's awake! Yes, I'm so happy too…" Saraiah continued her telephone conversation as Aran began to reminisce about how he became a part of the Raynes family.

Saraiah isn't his sister by blood. He had remembered how he and his cousin Ryuden Lenore were rescued by the good King Cid and Queen Sarah after his village was attacked and his parents were killed. The attack was led by Cid's deranged older sister, Margine. She had targeted Ellanore Village due to a serious vendetta against Lucius Lenore, the village patriarch. _"My grandfather. I don't remember much about him. It's been said that he did something awful to Margine a long time ago, and she was driven to insanity. How true that is, however, remains to be seen."_

Aran then started wondering if his relation to Lucius could be part of why the information he seeks is classified. Some have said that Lucius was a demon. Some have called him a dragon. A Dragonsoul. _"Am I a Dragonsoul too?"_

Aran's thoughts were interrupted when Dr. Frank returned with the discharge papers, along with Amber. "Ok Aran, you are free to go as soon as your father and Markas show up. Remember what I said earlier!"

"Of course." came the reply.

Dr. Frank removed his I.V. then had him sign some of the papers. "Here's a prescription for your pain medication. My son invented this one, it's really effective."

"Well tell him I said 'Thank you!'."

"Well hopefully soon you can thank him yourself! I would love for him to formally meet you two, especially you!" She looked at Saraiah and winked. "She's such a good woman, and so pretty, Aran."

Saraiah blushed and giggled. "Thanks, Sam."

Aran laughed and said "Of course she is, but she has a boyfriend already, ya know?"

"Yeah…about that." said Saraiah, folding her arms as an annoyed expression spread across her face.

"What happened with Adam?" asked Aran.

"That big jerk is dead to me! While you were sleeping, instead of comforting and supporting me in my time of need, he started getting all jealous and mean and started accusing me of liking you, you know, _liking_ you."

"Yeah, it's true! He was SO jealous!" Amber said, laughing.

 _"I wish…"_ Aran thought to himself, referring to what Saraiah had said.

"I mean, gross! You are all cute and handsome and buff and all, and we aren't really brother and sister but you and I were raised together almost our whole life! I know we had a relationship and stuff felt good and it seemed right for a bit but NO! I can't do it. I just can't! I don't know what got into Renaiya and Ryuden's head…awkward! Anyways, he even tried to hit me once and I kicked his ass all over the castle and then dumped his sorry ass! Just a week later he got a new girlfriend, and she's just so trashy and not even that pretty! I'm guessing that she is rather generous if you know what I mean…"

"Yeah, I hate girls like that. Takes the intrigue out of it. That's one thing I loved about _her._ Kept me waiting for four months and when it happened…wow." Aran turned beet red and crossed his legs, then frowned again. "I miss her so much."

"Me too Aran. She was such a lady. I really looked up to her. I hope I can find a man who would appreciate the fact that I'm not easy and want more than just to take me to bed."

"Well hun, I was that guy for you but ya know…"

"Aran, I'm really sorry. I just can't see you as a boyfriend. I want to find someone else, one of these days."

"Well, I'm sure you will. Sucks that Adam was such a douchebag."

"It's ok, he was a dud after all, he really wasn't that hot…like you…" Saraiah said sheepishly as she touched her index fingertips together.

Aran sighed with slight frustration and glanced over at Dr. Frank, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh Aran, I'm so sorry about what happened between us, I really hope you understand and aren't mad at me! Ohhhhhh this is so frustrating! Ohhhhhhhhhh!" Saraiah said in a panicked tone as she grabbed the sides of her head and spun around in circles. "I just can't suppress my sisterly feelings and you deserve better!"

"Just chill, Saraiah. I did find that girl, but she's gone. Don't beat yourself up. I think I'm done with women for a while. Time for me to fly solo until I find the right girl, whenever and whoever that may be. I know Serileine would want me to move on and be happy. I can't just mope and brood for gods know how long. I gotta do something about this whole situation."

"I think she would want that too, Aran, and so do I! You deserve it." said Saraiah as she gave Aran a hug. "And I agree. We gotta be proactive!"

"That's a wonderful idea." said Sam, as she finished up entering information into the computer in the room. "Well anyways, I've got to get going. Amber, Saraiah, Aran, I think you all would love my son, Dylan. I hope to introduce him soon. He's just so busy lately! You three take care!"

"See ya Dr. Frank, and tell everyone who helped save my life that I said thank you and will see to it that you all receive a great gift!" said Aran with a genuine smile.

"See you later, Sam! Thanks so much for saving him! We will send you a gift!" said Saraiah excitedly.

"Yes, take care Sam! We all appreciate what you've done!" Amber said with a warm smile.

"You guys are very sweet. We are all very happy that you survived, Aran!" said Dr. Frank as she left the room.

"What a nice lady. She's really competent! She and her husband Dr. Charlie Frank did a great job saving you! Their son is a few years older than us. He was in Renaiya's grade in school. He has been taking many classes and traveling all over the universe, doing research, helping people, and delivering medicine and other medical supplies! Also, he's _really_ handsome and is really nice from what I've heard!" said Saraiah excitedly. Amber nodded in agreement.

"Dylan? Yeah, I've seen him around, he seems cool. He did have a lot of girlfriends, though! But I'm sure he would be better than that dick Adam!" said Aran, punching his palm.

Then came a knock at the door, and it soon opened. Two tall, handsome men entered the room. One was in his mid-fifties and aged gracefully, with stunning blue eyes and thick, chin length, dirty blond hair, along with a fit, muscular frame, and the other was a black man in his early thirties, who looked barely older than Aran, with deep brown eyes and a well-manicured, close shaven beard. He was also muscular.

"Daddy! Markas! See! He's ok! He's been cleared for release!" exclaimed Saraiah as King Cid Raynes VII and Markas Weston entered the room.

Cid approached Aran's bed and gave him a hug as he said, "Good to have you back, son! You look great!"

"Dad, thank you. I wish I felt great, though! Markas! It's good to see you." said Aran as he hugged Cid back.

"Welcome back, buddy!" said Markas as he went to Aran's bed, shook his hand and gave him a hearty thump on the back. "I'm sorry about Serileine, that's gotta blow, man." said Markas sympathetically.

"Yes, I'm terribly sorry, son." said King Cid, empathetically. "I know just how you feel."

"I guess so, Dad." said Aran, somberly. He continued, in a more hopeful tone, "But Serileine wouldn't want me to mope and mourn for the rest of my life. She would want me to move on, and hopefully one day, save Ryuden and Renaiya. Maybe even _him_."

Everyone in the room grew silent. The "him" that Aran was referring to was Cid's estranged son, Saroku. He is now 25 years old and he grew up being jealous of Aran. Cid would appropriately discipline Saroku when he bullied or picked on Aran, and Saroku took it very personally. Things got worse and he eventually left to go work for Margine, seven years ago. To make matters worse, he aided in the kidnapping of his sister Renaiya. It is unknown what Margine's motives were. "I just pray that they are all ok, somehow. Hmmm." said Aran as he folded his arms across his chest once again.

"Phew, what's that smell? Aran! Man, I think you could use a shower!" said Markas, fanning his face.

Aran smelled his armpits and said, "Yeah, I guess I got a little stagnant after being asleep for three years! But, that disgusting smell ain't me!" He looked over the other side of his bed to the corpse on the ground. "Oh…here's our culprit. He probably shit himself." he said, covering his nose with his hospital gown and pointing to the floor next to his bed. King Cid and Markas walked around to the other side of the hospital bed.

"What the- it's Rufus Martine! He's the Sumestris agent who led the assault on Seiyomari!" exclaimed Cid. "What happened to him!?"

Aran casually put his hand up and said, "I did. Guess I caught him by surprise. He went down rather easily. What a pussy." He recapped the details of what happened to Cid and Markas. They nodded, and then Markas said, "Well, we gotta dispose of his body. How should we do it?"

"I'd say throw him in an acid pool, I think I'd enjoy that." said Aran, with an amused expression.

"So would I." said King Cid, with a vengeful look on his face. "Anyway, I think we should bag him up and throw him into the crematorium at the funeral home." Aran, Saraiah, Amber, and Markas all nodded in agreement.

"I'll go ask the coroners for a bag." said Markas, then he left the room.

"Martine…that's Adam's last name, isn't it!?" shouted Aran. "Oh my gods, don't tell me…!" Aran threw his blankets off and jumped out of the bed, then yelped in pain and immediately collapsed to the floor.

"Aran!" exclaimed Saraiah as she went to help him up.

"I'm ok, but my legs hurt so damn much! Shit." said Aran, taking a deep breath.

"That's probably a result of atrophy, plus all the special medication that was used while you were under." said King Cid, as he unfolded the wheelchair that Dr. Frank had left in the room. "It's going to take a while for you to be 100%."

"Damn it." said Aran as Saraiah helped him back onto the bed. "Special medication? Is that related to the 'classified information' about me?"

Cid simply closed his eyes and nodded.

"It's true, Aran. Rufus is Adam's father." said Saraiah with a concerned expression. "It's almost guaranteed that Adam will try to come after us when he finds out."

"Son of a bitch…" said Aran, gruffly.

"Well, I do have a few Elixirs that I can give you to speed up your recovery, Aran." said King Cid, handing him a bag. "There's one in there, along with a change of clothes. Drink the elixir then shower and get dressed so we can go home."

"Alright." Aran drank the potion, then said, "Holy shit, this stuff is awesome! I feel great! It's kinda sweet." He climbed off the bed, and took the bag into the bathroom to shower and change.

"I'm back, let's bag this guy and get the hell outta here!" said Markas, holding up the body bag. The three of them walked over to Rufus's corpse, then put him in the body bag and zipped it up.

A few minutes later, Aran came out of the bathroom and said, "All right! Let's scram from this place! I'm getting serious cabin fever here!"

"Wow, looking good, Aran!" said Saraiah with a smile as she gave the cliché "hottie alert whistle". She still couldn't help but find him attractive. Amber's expression definitely showed that she felt the same way.

Aran smiled and said, "Thanks, Saraiah. Let's go home."

"Right. Let's get rid of this dead dirt bag and get our long sleeping friend a good meal!" said Markas as he threw the body bag over his shoulder and left the room.

"Sounds great, I'm famished!" said Aran as he followed Markas out the door.

Cid and Saraiah left as well, then Saraiah said to Cid, "Daddy, we should have a feast in celebration of Aran's homecoming! What do you think?"

"I think that's a great idea. I will have the kitchen staff get on it as soon as we arrive home!" said Cid as he placed his arm around his daughter's shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

**_"No,_ you** _ **will. You can pay up and we will let her live. We may even turn her back over to you!"**_

* * *

"My Gods, I can't get over how awesome it is that Aran's returned!" Saraiah said as she sat in her large, round bathtub, with Amber sitting on the wall behind her, dipping her feet.

"He's a fighter, for sure!" Amber replied as she squirted some apple spice scented shampoo onto Saraiah's head. "I think he's still into you!"

"I think you may be right, Amby. But I really can't return his feelings. I don't know. Maybe I just don't love him like that, plain and simple. I feel bad about that." Saraiah said as she felt Amber massage the shampoo into her hair. "I'm sure he understands though, maybe."

"He's a grown man, I'm sure he'll accept that and move on." Amber said as she finished scrubbing Saraiah's hair, and began rinsing. "Maybe he'll move on to me!" she continued, half jokingly.

"Haha, go for it! Well, go for it after a few months, of course." Saraiah paused and heaved a sigh. She felt terrible for Aran's loss.

"I agree. He still needs the time to grieve before I would even consider making a move." Amber removed her robe, and slipped into the tub right beside Saraiah. "But really, he's into smaller chests and nice, round, toned butts, neither of which I have."

"Aw Amby, you're gorgeous! He'd be so stupid to pass you up just because of that! Besides, I'm a good handful myself." Saraiah paused and giggled, and she squeezed her own breasts, which filled up her hands with some excess.

"Oh, but you have like, an amazing booty hunny!" Amber said as she too laughed. "But thank you!" she turned her medium-brown gaze towards Saraiah's breasts, and took notice of a surgical scar. "Saraiah, I've been meaning to ask you about that scar on your chest."

"Oh this?" Saraiah traced her finger along the five-inch scar on the left side of her chest. "I don't think I ever told you this, but I was a micro-preemie. I was born at 26 weeks, which isn't so bad with the technology of this day and age, but I had a defective heart. They had to perform multiple surgeries on me, otherwise I would have died. Aran knows about this. I suppose he's one of very few I even feel comfortable with seeing my chest, due to this scar." She closed her eyes and covered the scar with her hand. "I always wanted to have sex with Adam in the dark, for that very reason. I never really trusted him like I did Aran."

Amber gently placed her hand over Saraiah's, and moved it away. "I'm just glad you're alive, Saraiah. I never knew that about you."

"I still find it a bit weird that I haven't had any heart problems ever since. Like, absolutely none whatsoever. Maybe it's the "magical blood" I supposedly have. They took of my blood to help expedite Aran's recovery." Saraiah shrugged and chuckled. She then placed her hand over Amber's knee and rested her head on her shoulder. "Also, Aran said the same thing. He was just glad that I'm alive. Besides, scar or not, he still only saw my boobs!" Saraiah continued, laughing.

"Haha I'm not surprised! Men are so simple sometimes!" Amber smiled and hugged Saraiah close to her. "But yeah, who's really gonna care about a scar with those knockers? Even if they aren't super big they're still so nice!" she laughed for a moment, then continued, "Even I can overlook the scar! You're just perfect in every way!"

"Oh Amby, now I'm blushing! So...Daddy wants us to begin taking the offensive against Sumestris, starting tomorrow!" Saraiah quickly changed the subject.

"Wow, seriously? Good luck with all of that!" Amber replied, somewhat astonished. "I guess we don't have a choice, especially after Aran went public with the death of Rufus Martine. He's so hot-blooded sometimes! But hey, I'll definitely be supporting from the sidelines, even if I'm not as capable of a fighter as you, Aran, and Markas!"

"Hey, any support is appreciated! Besides, your parents own one of the best potion shops in the world! I really hope this journey will lead us to Ryuden soon. To get him back as well would really be a huge blessing!" Saraiah said, wistfully.

"Oh yeah, I know how much you like him!" Amber said, teasingly.

"Oh come on, Amby! He's dating Renaiya! Another one I hope to bring back as well." Saraiah said, trying not to blush. "I guess I may be more compatible with Ry than Aran, but really. He _does_ like big boobs. Like Sam Frankewicz big."

"You're just being silly, Saraiah! Don't tell him I said this, but I've caught him checking you out often. Especially your ass!"

"Hah! You're the one being silly now!" Saraiah said, laughing. "He likes tall girls too. Not someone a foot shorter than him. I'm like 5'5". I'm _exactly_ a foot shorter than him! Which is why he's with my sister. She's a few inches taller than me."

"And her boobs are about the same size, Saraiah."

"Either way, that's the girl he chose, so I have no business having feelings for Ry." Saraiah heaved a sigh and closed her eyes, and felt Amber hold her close once again.

"I understand, hunny." She kissed Saraiah's forehead. "But please, be careful in your missions."

"I will, Amby. I promise."

"I know. But seriously...Team Armasa? That's so cheesy!" Amber said, giggling.

"I don't think it is! It's made up of our names!" Saraiah retorted, lightly splashing Amber. She was referring to herself, Aran, and Markas. "It's way more creative than "The Hunter's Guild"!"

"Hey, my squad sounds scarier! 'Oh no, watch out for Armasa!'" Amber said, teasingly while still laughing.

"Hey, silly names or not, Sumestris is TOAST!"

* * *

 _April 7, 2122._

"I need you to track these three warriors down and eliminate them." a man's voice said.

"Yes sir, understood." said a female voice. She looked at the photos. One was of a fair skinned, black haired young man in his 20's with red eyes, another of a black man in his 30's, and the third of a cute, young, redheaded woman, also in her 20's. "They look familiar. Who are they?" asked the woman.

"They are three vigilantes who want to overthrow Sumestris and thwart our efforts. We can't have that. Their names are: Aran Maleigha, Markas Weston, and Saraiah Raynes." said the man.

The woman, tall, blonde, and blue eyed, turned her attention to the photo of the young black-haired, fair skinned man. _"Hmm…Aran Maleigha. He's very handsome. This ought to be interesting. Yes, I remember him. The adopted son of the king."_ She then looked at the photo of the redhead. _"The king's daughter, Princess Saraiah. Her sister was kidnapped three years ago. I hope she's ok."_

"Any objections, Leina?" said the man, named Bill Jenson, who is an agent for Sumestris, a corrupt intelligence agency hell-bent on universal domination. They have been around for ten years are based on the planet Alterra, the homeworld of Aran and his family and friends. Sumestris has outposts throughout the universe, and is led by 30 year old Vince Yunari and his 28 year old sister, Melissa, who has never been seen by anyone outside of Sumestris. Little is known about her.

"No sir, of course not." said Leina, gathering up the photos and leaving the briefing room. _"Well, here goes!"_ Leina thought to herself as she boarded her gunship and headed out on her mission.

* * *

"All aboard, ready for takeoff!" shouted Saraiah as she fired up the engines on her large warship.

"Ready!" responded Aran and Markas. King Cid, Alex, and a few other people waved goodbye as they began to take off.

"Alright! 3-2-1…let's jet!" Saraiah began accelerating the ship down the runway and then took off into the cosmos. "Man, that is so much fun!" she squealed.

"Yeah, I get a rush every time!" said Aran.

"You are one of the best pilots out there, after all!" said Markas.

"Thanks, I learned from the best!" said Saraiah, referring to her father. Aran and Markas nodded in agreement. "Ok, we are officially in space. We can remove our safety harnesses now!" said Saraiah as she unbuckled her harness.

"Alright!" said Aran as he stood up. "Who wants coffee?"

"I do!" exclaimed Saraiah as she jumped up and down, raising her hand.

"I think caffeine is the last thing ya need, Saraiah!" said Markas as Aran smirked and nodded in agreement. Markas continued, "Aran, I'll take a cup, one sugar, no cream."

Saraiah interjected, "Oh shut up, Markas! Aran, you better get me some!"

Markas laughed and Aran said, "Aight Saraiah, but I ain't peeling ya off the ceiling again!"

"Fair enough! Hehe." said Saraiah, smiling. "Lotsa cream, two sugars, Aran! Thanks so much!" Aran left and went into the ship's kitchen.

"ARAN! I'll be in the lounge!" said Saraiah.

"So will I!" said Markas.

"Aight! I'll bring some snacks too, when the coffee is done!" replied Aran.

* * *

"Ok, that looks like Saraiah's warship." Leina thought to herself. "Bill! I have spotted Team Armasa's ship!" she announced though her comm system.

"Well done, Leina. Now you need to infiltrate without detection." said Bill.

"Yes sir." said Leina.

"Do not fail me, Leina."

"I won't. I promise." She disconnected. _"Ok, so how am I going to do this?"_

She hacked into the Armasa ship's comm system, hoping to overhear some information.

"Ok, so Daddy is supposed to be sending the backup supplies now. They are finally ready. I think some of those workers need to be trained better, maybe even replaced!" Saraiah's voice came over the comm system.

 _"That's my chance."_ Leina thought to herself.

"When should it be arriving?" asked Markas.

"Probably in an hour, maybe less."

"Perfect. I need to get to Alterra as soon as possible and sneak onto that cargo ship." she disconnected from Armasa's comm system, and then said "Bill, did you hear all of that?"

"Yes I did. Now get to it!"

"Yes sir." She was right by Alterra, so she set her ship to land. She landed her ship at the Seiyomari Air and Space Center. She quickly changed into a business suit and placed her clothes and collapsible sword in a shoulder bag. No one seemed to suspect anything. She headed for the outgoing cargo bay. When she arrived, she was stopped by two guards. "Miss Vance, you may not enter without authorization."

"Right, I'm here on official business for the King." Leina displayed her access badge, and the guards let her pass. She walked right over to the cargo ship bound for Armasa's vessel. They were about to close the cargo door and send the ship off. _"Just in time."_

She walked up to the worker who was about to shut the door. "Miss Vance! What brings you here?" said the worker.

Leina walked right up to him, then said, with a regretful expression, "I'm so sorry!" as she knocked him unconscious. She picked him up and placed him next to a pile of boxes, out of sight from the guys in the cockpit. She removed his glove, and placed it on her hand, then ran to the back of the ship.

"Everything ready to go?" came a voice from the cockpit. She stuck out her gloved hand and gave a thumbs up, then quickly jumped into the cargo area and shut the door.

The ship departed, and she changed back into her regular clothes.

Within half an hour, the cargo ship arrived at the Armasa warship. She zipped herself into a large bag, so as not to be discovered. Several crewmembers came to unload the cargo ship. Two people came and moved the bag that she was in. She remained perfectly still, and thankfully she was amongst several blankets so no one would make out the shape of a person in the bag.

"Wow, this bag weighs a ton!" came a voice, and Leina thought to herself, _"Well, that's not very nice!"_

"Well, there are probably a few weapons in there, wrapped in blankets. What do you expect?" came another voice.

"Yeah, you're probably right." They set the bag down and left. Leina waited for a few minutes, then slowly unzipped the bag so she could peek and make sure that she was alone. She climbed out of the bag and looked around the large storage room. She spotted a large air vent, and quickly climbed into it.

* * *

"I think I could use another cup, and I'm STARVING!" said Saraiah very quickly, running in place and rubbing her stomach.

"Oh come on, Saraiah. You don't need more coffee! You've had three cups already!" said Aran, placing his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to hold her still. "But I can maybe whip up some dinner."

"Ok ok, decaf!" said Saraiah.

"I can do decaf for ya." said Aran. "You hungry, Markas?"

"I could eat, for sure." said Markas. "...and thanks, man. You definitely prove that men can cook, for sure!"

"Well, I kinda taught myself after one too many lousy meals over the years!" said Aran. "But thanks!"

"I hear you both!" said Saraiah. "I can't wait to see what you cook this time! Thank you so much!"

"No problem. I'll be back in a bit." said Aran as he left the lounge.

"Ok sooooo, what is there that I can cook…" he said to himself as he surveyed the kitchen cabinets and fridge. "Ah ha! I can fry up some fish and fries. They'd love that." he removed a bag of fish from the freezer and began chopping up potatoes very quickly.

"Now where is that fryer?" he asked himself as he walked across the kitchen to a closet. "Ah, here it is. Wait a minute..." Aran paused for a moment, for he sensed he wasn't alone. He could hear Markas and Saraiah chatting loudly in the lounge, far down the hallway. This presence seemed unfamiliar. Aran felt them walking up behind him.

Aran slowly set the fryer down, then quickly turned and delivered a hard turning sidekick to the intruder's abdomen. "Ugh!" the woman screamed as she flew across the kitchen and slammed into the cabinets.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" Aran shouted angrily.

A masked Leina Vance stood up and remained silent. She wasn't expecting that much strength and grew a bit nervous. However, she took a deep breath and advanced on Aran, attempting to punch him in the face.

Aran blocked her punch, grabbed her arm and pinned her against a wall. "I will ask you again. Who are you and what are you doing here?!" he asked again, in a quieter, more gruff tone.

Leina said nothing and shoved him away, then armed her sword. She swung it at him and slashed his thigh, then kicked him in the stomach and knocked him over.

"Ugh! Son of a bitch!" he said, angrily, grabbing the wound on his leg.

She just looked at him confidently and held her sword in front of her. Aran quickly got back up and she swung at him again, this time he dodged, pushed her sword mid-swing into the wall.

While Leina was trying to pull her sword out of the wall, Aran balled up his fist, and with a loud grunt he punched right through the sword and snapped it in two.

 _"OH SHIT!"_ Leina thought in sheer horror as she felt herself quickly slammed onto a table, which collapsed beneath her. Everything went black.

Aran went to the kitchen's comm system to alert Saraiah and Markas of the intruder, so they could contain her. While Aran was distracted, Leina came to and bolted out the door.

"HEY! Get back here!" Aran shouted as he chased after her. He set off the alarm and started shouting at people. "SOMEBODY STOP HER!"

"Bill? Bill?! Do you copy? DO YOU COPY? Leina screamed into her concealed communication device. No answer. "BILL! I'VE BEEN COMPROMISED!" Nothing. "Aggh!" she screamed as a nunchuck bar slammed into her shins, causing her to fall. Next thing she knew, she was in a headlock and was being dragged into a room.

"You're not going ANYWHERE!" came a female voice. She looked up to see that she had been attacked by Saraiah.

"Damn it!" yelled Leina. She kicked upwards and landed a blow in Saraiah's face.

"OW!" screamed Saraiah as she grabbed her nose. "You're in BIG trouble now!" she bolted forward and slammed her fist into Leina's chest, sending her flying backwards.

"Ugh!" Leina screamed and stood back up, then yelled, "This is ridiculous! I'm getting out of here!"

"Oh no you are not! I'm not going to let you!" shouted Saraiah as she ran towards Leina and engaged her in hand to hand combat. Many kicks and punches were exchanged, then Saraiah grabbed Leina by the shoulders, jerked her forward, and slammed her knee into Leina's stomach. Leina screamed as a few drops of blood flew out of her mouth, then as she fell, Saraiah delivered a hard blow to the back of her head, then everything went black.

"Whoa, nice work!" said Aran as he walked in.

"Aran! How long were you standing there?! I could have used a little assistance!" she said in an exasperated tone as she lightly punched him in the shoulder.

"Well, it looks like you handled it, and I just enjoyed watching two hot women duke it out!" said Aran with a devious grin.

"Oh shut up. Men!" Saraiah said as she threw her hands in the air. "How do you even know she's hot? She's wearing a mask!"

"She's got a rockin' body, Saraiah!" Aran replied as he observed Leina's backside.

"Whoa, Saraiah, you really laid the beat-down on her!" said Markas as he walked in and looked at Leina's limp, unconscious body lying face down on the floor.

"And where were YOU?" said Aran to Markas.

"Dude, I just got the hell out the way, that's where I was!" said Markas, putting his hands up by his head.

"Well, maybe all of that coffee wasn't such a bad thing after all!" said Aran. "Anyways, we need to tie her up, unmask her, wake her up, and start interrogating."

They picked her up and tied her to a chair, then Saraiah grabbed the top of the mask and yanked it upward. "Leina Vance!? Why is SHE attacking us!?" she exclaimed when she recognized the intruder.

"Leina Vance? I told you she was hot!" Aran said, with a devious grin.

"Really, Aran? Now's not the time! We need to wake her up!" Saraiah said as she rolled her eyes. "I think I hit her a bit too hard. Aran, you do your thing."

Aran placed his hand on Leina's head and began healing her, until she stirred and slowly regained consciousness. "Ugh…what happened…" she weakly said.

Markas was pointing a gun at her, while Saraiah unsheathed her Tanto knife and held it to her throat. "Ok, lady. There are many ways in which we can do this." said Saraiah. "You can start talking or I can cut off your fingers, or Markas can shoot you in the kneecap!"

"Or…" said Aran, slowly walking towards Leina and undoing his ponytail and letting his raven black locks fall over his muscular shoulders, "or…I can resort to other tactics to make you talk." he said in a suggestive tone as he touched her chin. "Such a looker. I'd hate to see you in pain, sweetheart."

"Aran, good grief!" snapped Saraiah as she pulled him away.

Leina turned her head away, flustered. She then looked up and said "None of those. I'll just tell you the truth."

"Ok, then let's hear it, lady." said Aran, crossing his arms. "Why the fucking hell did you attack me?"

"Ok, well here's the story. I am actually working for Sumestris undercover. I was sent to gather information and attempt to destroy them from within. They sent me here to assassinate the three of you. Sorry, by the way." she looked over at Aran who was then healing his wound.

"Keep talking." he said with a straight face.

"Ok, well I had to protect my cover, so I agreed. I snuck aboard a cargo ship and infiltrated this warship. That's when I attacked you and then was captured. I have a bad feeling that Sumestris is very suspicious of me and sent me in hopes that you guys would kill me."

"Sounds like something those Sumestris bastards would do." said Aran with a snarl. He motioned to Markas and Saraiah to pull back their weapons. "I believe you. So tell me who you're really working for." Leina looked at her wrists, which were tied to the arm rails. "Oh, sorry. Just playing it safe. Saraiah, cut her loose."

"Why?!"

"Just do it."

"Fine." Saraiah hastily cut the ropes from Leina's wrists and ankles, then pointed the knife at Leina and said, "Don't even think about running away."

Leina replied in a snarky tone with an amused expression on her face, "Wasn't planning on it!"

"Hmph." said Saraiah.

"Ahem! Anyways, I asked you a question."

"I am a knight, under King Cid's command-"

"Hold on a second!" exclaimed Saraiah. "You work for my father!? Since when!?"

"Yes I do, it would seem he thought I was a better fit for the job than _you._ " said Leina, snidely.

"Oh REALLY?! You wanna say that again, bitch?" snapped Saraiah, advancing toward Leina.

Leina stood up and said, "YES! I'm a better fighter than YOU! You just caught me off guard earlier!"

"Is that SO?! How about we find out NOW?!" shouted Saraiah as she shoved Leina.

Leina shoved her back but Aran quickly intervened and snapped, "THAT'S ENOUGH, YOU TWO! Saraiah, back the hell off! Leina, you sit your ass down and watch your attitude. I just snapped your sword with my bare hands, after all, so I'd pipe down if I were you!"

"Hmph." Leina responded. Saraiah growled, folded her arms and sat down several feet away.

"Markas, put it down." said Aran, since Markas pointed his gun at Leina when she and Saraiah started their shoving match. Markas complied. "AHEM! Anyways, Leina, tell us more." said Aran, turning his attention to her.

Leina took a moment to notice how handsome Aran was. _"His eyes though...interesting."_ She then continued speaking. "Anyways, as I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted…" she turned her head towards Saraiah, who promptly flipped her the bird. Leina glared and then turned back to Aran and continued, "I work for the King. He's a great man. My family is very stuck up and think they are better than everyone else, even the Raynes's. They are Count Matthias and Countess Emma Vance. My mom isn't as bad, but she's still rather snobbish. They don't like the fact that King Cid brought "trash", meaning you and Ryuden, into the family."

"Asshole." muttered Aran.

"Yeah…" said Leina. "Anyways, they forbade me to associate with the Raynes's, and it angered me so much. They tried so hard to control me for the longest time. They even harshly disciplined my younger sister when they saw her being nice to Ryuden one day. They beat her and locked her in her room without meals for two days. I was forced to rebel eventually."

"My gods...that's bullshit!" said Aran as he cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah man, that's messed up!" said Markas. Saraiah started scooting closer.

Leina continued, "After that happened, I cut them off and went to work for the King privately, offering my skills as a knight and a potential spy. Growing up, I was trained in the Seiyomari Academy by Sir Alex Barret, your uncle, the late queen's brother. I was only allowed to train privately with him. They never told me why I had to stay away, other than the fact that you and Ryuden were a human and a 'half-breed'."

"Ah yes. I remember seeing you a long time ago." said Aran. "I have no idea why people call me human, though. I know of humans. There ain't nothing human about me. But of course, I'm being kept in the dark."

"I see. I'm afraid I don't know much about that either." Leina said, shaking her head. "Shortly afterward, my sister, Heather, went missing." she continued as a sad look spread across her face. "We believe Sumestris is behind it. There are a lot of children and teenagers who went missing around the same time."

"Yukari…" said Markas in a somber tone. "My 15 year old sister. My parents too."

"Do you think they took Renaiya as well?" asked Leina.

"No, it was Margine. My aunt." said Saraiah, her bored expression turning sad. "Margine…I'm not sure what she plans on doing to Renaiya, if she isn't dead already…"

"I'm sure she's ok, somehow." said Aran putting his hands on her shoulders.

Leina gave Saraiah a quick, sympathetic look while Saraiah had her head down, then continued talking. "After Heather went missing, King Cid sent me to go work undercover for Sumestris. I have lost contact with them since I got away from Aran earlier. I have reason to suspect that something is not right."

"Maybe you should contact them and tell them that you captured us and want to bring us in for questioning?" said Aran.

"I guess I could try." said Leina.

"Or…" said Aran, "we could contact them and say that we captured you instead, and that we want money or whatever in exchange for us not killing you and you going free."

"That sounds better, actually. We could see what Bill's reaction would be." Leina replied.

"And we could make a ton of cash, Aran! What an awesome idea!" exclaimed Saraiah.

"Ok, let's head for the communication area." said Aran, motioning for the others to follow him. When they arrived, they tied rope around Leina and had her lay on the floor. Her scrapes and bruises from the earlier showdown were convincing enough. They also put duct tape over her mouth.

"Alright, Leina, I need you to struggle and moan and yell through the tape when I reach him. Markas, you have your AK-47 pointed at her, and Saraiah, I want you to straddle her with your knife to her throat. Got it everyone? Places!" said Aran as he began typing on the keyboard. "Got him!"

"Who are you? How did you contact me?" Bill's voice on the computer asked.

"Bill Jenson. You are the pathetic bastard who sent this blonde bimbo to do your dirty work, am I right?" said Aran in a haughty, convincing tone. He moved his hand to motion toward Leina, lying on the floor, screaming and struggling underneath Saraiah.

"Quiet, you bitch!" said Saraiah as she backhanded Leina across her face and put her knife to her throat.

"You see that? We have your agent, Leina Vance at our mercy." said Aran.

"Bastard! You will pay dearly for this!" shouted Bill through the computer screen.

"No, _you_ will. You can pay up and we will let her live. We may even turn her back over to you!" said Aran, with a devious grin.

"How much do you want?" asked Bill in a deepened, serious tone.

"I want you to give us $3 million gil, in fresh, crisp bills. If you don't pay up, we will slaughter her right there in front of you, and she will become an example just like Rufus Martine!" said Aran in an increasingly threatening tone.

Markas cocked his gun and aimed it at her head. "I'll blow her godsdamned head off after Saraiah here guts her and slashes her throat!" yelled Markas.

"Then I will beat you to death and steal your money anyways." said Aran, in a calm, serious tone.

Leina screamed and struggled even more. "I SAID SHUT UP!" screamed Saraiah as she grabbed her by the hair and held the knife even closer to her throat. "I swear I will slice it right open!" Leina pretended to cry as she complied.

"Ok OK! You have a deal! I want to meet as soon as possible!" shouted Bill.

"Awesome. I'll head your way immediately." said Aran with a smile. "Thank you so much for cooperating! Remember, you better have the money or Leina gets it!"

"I won't forget…here are my ship's coordinates." said Bill in a calm but distraught tone.

"Thank you." said Aran. "Let's load this broad up and get going." Aran disconnected then said "Nice performance, you guys! I think he bought it!"

"Thanks! Would I be out of line to assume you had me sit on Leina for a _reason_?" said Saraiah, with a look of amused suspicion on her face. Aran just smiled. Saraiah continued, "Oh, and sorry for slapping you Leina, I had to make it look convincing."

"Accepted." said Leina, indifferently. They untied her and headed to the docking bay and boarded their gunships. Leina rode with Aran.

"All right you guys, let's jet!" said Aran over the comm system.

"Roger!" came the reply. They took off and headed for Bill's ship.

"Wow, so you think he will actually pay?" asked Leina.

"Oh yeah, whether he does it on his own or we take it ourselves! Hehe!" said Aran.

"Of course." said Leina with a smile. "So…um I heard about your family…what happened to them?" she asked, with genuine concern.

"Oh…them." said Aran, somberly. He recapped the events of Serileine's death, and a few tears streamed down his face.

"Oh my gosh…I'm so sorry." said Leina, sympathetically. "I didn't mean to reopen old wounds…"

"No, it's ok. I found out yesterday after I woke up. I dunno, maybe it helps to talk about it. I don't like bottling shit up, really." said Aran, heaving a sigh.

"There's his ship, dead ahead!" said Saraiah over the comm system.

"Aight, let's land in the docking bay." said Aran. "This is it, Leina. Let's hope for the best!" They all docked on Bill's large ship. "Let's go." Aran said to Leina as he took her by the arm.

Bill and two other agents were standing on the dock. Bill was holding a suitcase. He was an older, balding man, about Aran's height. He didn't look very muscular. He had a furious look on his face.

"You have it?" said Aran. Bill opened the case, revealing the money he requested. "Very good. I held up my end of the bargain as well." He moved Leina towards Bill and released her arm. She turned around and gave Aran a sad look, as if she didn't want to go back to them.

Saraiah took the case and placed it in her gunship.

Just as Leina and the others were about to walk away, Bill said in an emotionless tone, "Kill her, she is of no use to us anymore."

One of the agents pulled out a gun to shoot Leina, but Markas was much faster and shot the agent right in the head, killing him instantly.

Bill and the other agent seized Leina and took off with her, and Team Armasa chased after them. Bill managed to escape with Leina, and Aran continued pursuit after them while Markas and Saraiah stayed behind and engaged the agent. They took him down swiftly.

"Let's split up. I'm going to see if there is a vault on this thing!" said Saraiah. "You go assist Aran!"

"Got it!" said Markas as he went to go help his buddy.

Saraiah was greeted by three rather large agents, all looking ready to fight. She gave a cute giggle, then she took them down with relative ease. The first one, she snapped her fingers and stopped time for a moment, and elbowed him in the gut with extreme force. She snapped her fingers, and the first guy doubled over in pain, clutching his gut. Saraiah then delivered a hard drop kick to the back of his head, knocking him out. She grabbed the second one and used the first guy as a means to trip the second one, then she slammed his face with her nunchucks. The third man, she jumped upon his shoulders and slammed her fist into the nape of his neck, causing the man to drop to his knees and collapse face first on the ground. She searched each of them and found what appeared to be a keycard. She spotted a large vent and climbed into it.

Meanwhile, Aran chased Bill until he made it into a security room and shut a large metal door, blocking Aran's path. "SHIT!" yelled Aran. "He's gonna kill her in there! Markas!"

"Man, what are we gonna do!?" asked Markas, in an exasperated tone.

"I dunno, Markas. I risk hurting her if I bust through! Try one of your missiles!"

"Aight. Stand aside." Markas blasted the door with a missile, but it barely damaged it. "Damn it!" yelled Markas.

"We need to figure out a way in there!" yelled Aran.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Bill had Leina tied to a chair. He began torturing her as he told her the truth about her mission. "You stupid little girl, you thought I cared about you as an agent?"

He punched her in the face. "Someone tipped me off to you working undercover for King Cid, that softie bastard."

He slashed her arm, she screamed. "So I decided to send you to fight that indestructible boy, in the hopes that he would kill you so my hands would remain clean of your blood. Hahaha!"

He picked up a chain whip and thrashed it across her back repeatedly. She grunted and screamed in pain. "My higher ups are rather stingy about sensitive information. Why don't you tell me everything you know about the King. All of his secrets. NOW! What is he hiding about that boy with the red eyes!?"

"I-don't-know!" Leina grunted. He whipped her again.

"STOP LYING TO ME, BITCH!"

"I-I told you...I don't know any of his godsdamned secrets...I w-wouldn't tell you even if I did!"

Bill thrashed her several more times. "Insolent little hussy! You like that boy,  
don't you?!"

"What?! No! I don't!" Bill whipped her again.

"I'm not stupid! I swear when I'm done here I will bring him in and kill him right in front of you!"

"You are such a fool, Bill. You are too much of a coward, you had to send me, a woman, to do your dirty work. He took me down rather easily. Imagine what he would do to you!" she said in a snarky, taunting tone.

Bill reared back to whip her again, but in the past several minutes, Leina managed to wriggle her arms and legs free. She blocked the whip, let it wrap around her arm, and jerked it out of his hand. She delivered a hard punch to his nose and kicked him in the solar plexus. He doubled backwards and hit the floor, and she started kicking him repeatedly.

Bill managed to regain his composure and tripped Leina. He reached for a gun and just as he prepared to shoot her, a knife zipped through the air and pierced the hand that was holding the gun. He dropped the gun and it deployed, hitting him in the kneecap. Leina sat up to see Saraiah emerging from the air vent in the room.

"Uh, thanks." said Leina.

"I didn't do it for you." replied Saraiah. "I have work to do here." Saraiah walked over to Bill, who was incapacitated from the gunshot to the knee. She grabbed him by the collar and jerked him over to the large vault door in the room. "Open it. NOW!" demanded Saraiah.

"Go to hell, you little tramp-AHAAHHHHHAGGGH!" Saraiah sliced off his small finger.

"What did you call me? I said OPEN IT! Or I will cut _that_ off!" she yelled, pointing to the spot between his legs. He hastily and begrudgingly complied. "Thank you very much. Now I have no use for you anymore." She slashed his throat and let him bleed out. She entered the vault and collected all of the money, stuffing it into a large bag.

Leina watched in absolute astonishment at what just ensued. Saraiah walked over to the door that accessed hallway and opened it. Aran and Markas were waiting on the other side.

"Saraiah! Thank the Gods! Is Leina ok?!" exclaimed Aran.

"I'm fine..." said Leina, who appeared to be losing her balance, most likely from blood loss.

"What happened?! He's dead!" exclaimed Markas, pointing to Bill's corpse lying on the ground.

Saraiah replied in a serious tone, "I was a better fit for the job than HER. I'm going to my ship and getting outta here! I need to get this money into the royal charity account!" She then walked off, heading to her ship.

"Leina! Oh Gods!" Aran darted towards and caught her as she fainted. "She's losing blood! Let's get outta here and get back to the warship!"

"Got it, buddy!" said Markas.

They shuffled out of the vault and down the hallway. They made it to the docking bay, where three remaining agents were waiting. Saraiah managed to stop time for a moment to get past them and board her ship, since she was already taking off as the others arrived. Aran handed Leina to Markas and said, "Get her onto my ship, Markas! I'll take care of these guys real quick."

"Aight!" Markas headed for Aran's ship with Leina as Aran engaged the agents and took them each down with just one punch or kick, each. He sprinted to his ship as Markas boarded his own.

"Let's move!" said Aran over the comm system as they both launched their ships and flew as fast as they could towards the warship.


	3. Chapter 3

**_"We need to know why he's still with her before we go charging into something potentially dangerous!"_**

* * *

 _April 7, 2122_. "Where am I?" asked Leina as she regained consciousness.

"You are in our sick bay. You are safe now, Leina." said Aran, stroking her hair.

"What happened? What about Bill?" said Leina as she sat up.

"He's dead. Saraiah killed him. You lost a lot of blood from him whipping you. I was able to transfuse some blood into you and close your wounds."

"I see. Whose blood is it?" asked Leina.

"It's Saraiah's. She donated some of her blood to you…you look surprised." said Aran, as Leina displayed a look of disbelief on her face.

"She…saved me? Again? I don't know. She just seems a little…cold blooded."

"What? Saraiah? No…she's really not. She gets a little envious around other women, and she gets kind of snappy at first."

"But why, Aran? She's beautiful!"

"I dunno, Leina…she really is, but she has been taken advantage of by a lot of guys in the past. She was never easy, and a lot of guys got bored with her after a while and would leave her for another girl. Her most recent ex-boyfriend also turned out to be a jerk, and she was replaced after just a week. Sometimes she just doesn't feel like she's worth anything to guys. She did find a guy who did appreciate her for who she was, not just her appearance…but…she couldn't "suppress her sisterly feelings for him." Aran paused and heaved a sigh.

"What's wrong? Oh…that guy was…you?" asked Leina, deciphering his expression.

"Yeah. We dated for a couple of years. I really loved her so much, it tore my heart out when she broke up with me. I guess I can sorta understand though…hmm. She wants me to be with someone who can really love me as a man and a boyfriend, and one day, a husband, and she felt that she could not give me that. I guess now that I think of it, it's because she cares so much about me as a brother that she left me. I then met Serileine, and I already told you about that."

Leina replied, "Yeah, that's terrible. Hmm…I guess I can understand Saraiah too. Seems she really has your best interest at heart."

"Yeah, she really is a good person, and she really is nice. I think if you want to get to know her better, a direct approach would be good. She's really not a bitch." said Aran.

"Hmm…I guess I was a little harsh on her, with my comment about being better for the job…" said Leina, with a look of remorse on her face. "She did beat the crap out of me though…but then again, I guess I had it coming."

"Well, we did think you were trying to kill us…" said Aran, "but we now know the truth. So don't dwell on it."

"Ok. Anyways…you said that you fixed me up. Are you a doctor?" Leina asked.

Aran replied, "Sort of, I'm still in training. I am a certified nurse, however!"

"Wow, I never would have guessed at first! I noticed you healing that wound I gave you…you know white magic?"

"Yeah, just the most basic kind. I'm hardly white mage material. I also have innate healing powers. What I was doing just sped it up a bit."

"Why not? I think you'd be good at that."

"Well, it's just not that simple. My body doesn't seem to generate a whole lotta Fazium. My father told me I have a mass of Fazium in my brain, and if I tried to tap into it, I could seriously injure someone. He placed a seal to repress it." Aran answered as he placed his left hand over the spot where his shoulder meets his neck. "I have no idea why I have that mass, or why I can survive like that. Maybe it's because I'm not Seiya."

"So how can you fight unarmed with such power?" Leina asked, with genuine curiosity.

"I went through a lot of rigorous training. I naturally demonstrated excellent control of Fazium." Aran poured some water into a cup, and placed it on the tray attached to the hospital bed. "Like this." He said as hovered his hand over the cup, and pulled the water out, manipulating it into several shapes, including a flower and a heart.

"Wow, that's impressive!" Leina said, wide-eyed with fascination.

"Thanks! One of the instructors, Ayako Shinomori, saw me doing that one day, and told me I would be perfect to learn unarmed combat. It doesn't take but one small burst of energy to do massive damage, and it helps that I already had unusual strength and agility. After several years of hard work and training, I was able to master my abilities." Aran smiled for a moment, then continued, "I was also recommended for the medical program, due to how precise my Fazium control was."

"Wow, that's great that things worked out for you!" said Leina, with a smile. "They really are good people, at the Seiyomari Academy."

"Yeah!" said Aran. "I'm very grateful that Ayako gave me a chance. So, what made you decide to become a knight?"

"Um…" Leina hung her head.

"What happened, Leina? You can tell me."

"I can't, not yet. I'm sorry, but I don't trust easily."

"Not a problem. I understand."

"What happened to your real parents?"

Aran explained what had happened 20 years ago.

"Oh my gosh…I'm so sorry. That must have been a terrible thing to see." said Leina, placing her hand on Aran's shoulder.

"It was. It haunts me to this day." Aran placed his hand over Leina's, then he stood up and said, "Anyways, I need to go contact the King. I haven't had the chance to explain what just happened yet."

"Ok." said Leina.

"Oh, before I go, I got something for you. Ya know…just as a peace offering." Aran blushed and handed Leina a long, heavy box, then left the room.

 _"Man, that guy has had it rough. Yet he seems to be ok considering. I wonder if he's just acting ok. Men seem to do that rather often. Hmmm. He sure does look good though. When he stroked my hair….and touched my hand…"_ Leina heaved a heavy sigh. _"Saraiah…she had a relationship with him. Lucky girl."_

She then looked at the box in her lap, and opened it. It was a brand new sword, just like the one that Aran broke. There was a note of apology attached to it. _"He replaced my sword. What a sweet man."_ Leina placed the sword on the table next to her, laid back down, then drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Hey Aran, how is she?" asked Saraiah as they crossed paths in the hallway.

"She's going to be just fine. She's awake now."

"That's good."

"Saraiah, I think you should give her a chance. I understand what you are thinking, but she doesn't hate you. Trust me."

"Aran…I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt again."

"Um…what do you mean by that?! You think I…? No! You heard what I said at the hospital! Don't get the wrong idea!" exclaimed Aran, turning red.

Saraiah giggled then said, "Suuuuuuuuure. You're a guy, she's hot. I'm not an idiot, Aran. Your face almost matches your eyes! Just be careful, and I'm not mad at her anymore. Where are you headed?"

"Ugh…You have me pegged. But don't you dare tell her!" Aran's face turned even redder. "Anyways, I'm going to the communications room to inform Dad of what just happened. What about you?"

"I'm going back to the kitchen. I just made Leina some dinner. I guess it's a peace offering."

"You didn't poison it, did you?"

"Oh come on, Aran! Do you really think I'd do that unless it's someone who really IS evil?"

"Heh, I guess not."

"Ok well, just let me know what Daddy says."

"Aight, Saraiah." said Aran as he walked away. He began thinking, _"Saraiah is so perceptive. I do like Leina. I just can't pursue a relationship right now. It's not the right time. I'm not even sure if she likes me anyways…and of course…those yuppie ass parents of hers, hmph. Oh well."_

* * *

"Huh, looks like she went back to sleep." Saraiah thought to herself as she entered the sick bay. She set the tray with Leina's dinner on the small bed table. She then lightly touched Leina's hair. "Leina, wake up. I brought you some dinner."

"Oh, hi Saraiah." said Leina as she slowly awakened and sat up. "This is for me?"

"Of course it is. I made it myself. Figured I couldn't let you starve. It's my own chicken noodle recipe. I hope you like it. Here's some green tea to drink with it."

"Uh…thanks! Um…Saraiah, I'm sorry…about earlier, what I said."

"It's ok. Don't worry about it."

"Wow…this soup is…fantastic!" said Leina, then she continued eating the soup. "Mmmm…Saraiah, you'll make a man very happy one day!"

"Um…thanks! I hope so."

"Oh…Aran told me about your past…"

"Did he now…yeah. Good men are hard to find. I hope I find someone…who isn't related to me, even just by paperwork. My best friend seems to think that his cousin Ryuden likes me. Again, he was raised as my brother too, and he's with my sister."

"I can understand that." said Leina, "I'm sure there is someone out there, for both of us."

"Hmmm…maybe." said Saraiah. The two women sat in silence, Leina continued eating her soup.

After a few minutes, Saraiah exclaimed, "Oh my gosh…it's Aran's twenty-fourth birthday today! Wow, I completely forgot! I knew about it yesterday, but things just got crazy with the new mission…jeez why didn't he say anything?! Leina! When's yours?"

"May 2nd. I'll be twenty-six."

"Not too far off! I'll have to cook for you again! However I need to do something for Aran!"

"Hey Saraiah, can I get some more of that soup? It was so good!"

"Sure. I'll be back." Saraiah said as she took the bowl and left the room. "Ohhhhh I'm the worst sister in the world! I never said anything to him! I guess I'll get him some soup for now…but I need to come up with something better! Good grief!" Saraiah filled Leina's bowl and returned to her room, then she quickly ran back to the kitchen to fill a bowl for Aran. She found him in the communication room and presented the bowl of soup.

"Happy Birthday, Aran! I'm sorry I forgot, and this is the best I can do right now!"

"Oh! Uh, thanks! I always loved this soup…quite frankly I forgot it was my birthday…but thanks! Anyways, I explained everything to Dad, and he wants all of us to return to the castle. I think he plans on having Leina join us and aid us on our mission." said Aran with a casual smile as he shoveled a spoonful of soup into his mouth. "Oh…delicious..."

"I hope so, Aran. I really like her. We buried the hatchet, and she loves my soup!" Saraiah giggled. "I can't wait to introduce her to Amber!"

"Well, I'm glad to hear it! Let's go back and check on her."

"I'll meet you there, Aran. I'm gonna get Markas some soup."

"Ok." Aran walked back to the sick bay and explained what was going to happen. "So how are you feeling?" he asked Leina.

"I'm fine, but I sure am sleepy!" said Leina while yawning.

"Well, we should have all night to rest when we get back to the castle." Aran smiled at her. She blushed.

 _"He's insanely gorgeous. My gods."_ she thought to herself.

"Do you think you can walk?" asked Aran.

"Yeah."

"Ok then, let's get to the cockpit and prepare for landing. We will arrive on Alterra in about 20 minutes."

* * *

"Everybody strapped in?" asked Saraiah as she steered the ship into Alterra's atmosphere. "We are going in for a landing! Woohoo!" The Seiyomari Air and Space Center came into view. "Alright guys, preparing to land!" Saraiah landed her ship and the entire crew exited. The ship was lowered into its underground private hangar.

"Phew! It's great to be back on solid ground!" said Aran. "Let's get to my car and get to the castle! I'm pooped! We have a twenty minute drive ahead of us." The four of them located Aran's green convertible and they all got in and headed for the castle. They began crossing a large bridge that was high above a forest. "What the HELL?!" shouted Aran as he slammed on the brakes.

"Man! Tha hell is that thing?!" shouted Markas as he pointed to a large robotic dragon that landed on the bridge. It was the early evening on a Saturday, so there was hardly anyone else on the bridge who wasn't able to get away. It would appear that the robot was specifically targeting the Armasa group. A Sumestris weapon, for sure. There was an agent in the cockpit controlling it. They all got out of the car and ran towards the monster, and engaged it. Each of the fighters used their weapons and were able to damage it considerably.

"Hahahahaha! You think you've won? Take this!" shouted the agent through the robot's microphone as he ejected himself, then the robot self-destructed, blowing a big gap in the bridge. Aran and Saraiah both screamed as they fell through the gap, and Aran grabbed the edge of the bridge and Saraiah grabbed Aran's legs.

"DAMN IT!" screamed Aran as he held on for dear life. Leina and Markas both rushed to the edge and attempted to help them up.

"Darn it! I can't reach you!" yelled Leina to Aran, then she yelled to Markas, "Can you hold my legs while I reach for Aran?"

"I can try!" he replied.

"Saraiah! Just use me to climb up and grab onto Leina, then I can get up easily!" said Aran to Saraiah.

"A-alright..." came the reply.

"Just grab my leg and I will lift you up to where you can grab the bridge!" Aran called down to her.

Saraiah complied, holding Aran's leg with both arms. Aran effortlessly lifted his leg out to his side, and Saraiah was able to reach for the bridge.

"Gods Aran, you're so stro-" Suddenly the spot she grabbed crumbled, and sent her plummeting into the forest. "OH SHIIIIIIIIIIII..."

"NO! SARAIAH!" Aran screamed in horror.

"Aran! Grab on!" shouted Leina. He swung his legs up and climbed up and grabbed Leina's hand. Markas and Leina pulled him to safety.

"DAMN IT!" Aran screamed as he punched the road and lost his composure. Markas hung his head with a distraught look on his face. Leina put her arms around Aran and stroked his hair as he cried into her lap. Markas walked up to Aran and Leina, then kneeled down and placed his hand on Aran's back.

"Let's go home." said Markas, somberly. Several helicopters arrived at the scene. Aran, Leina, and Markas said nothing to the swarm of reporters as they walked to Aran's car.

"The king will not be happy about this." said Aran, in a low, somber tone. They drove off and found another route to the castle.

* * *

"Ah! Here we go. This will go great in my new potion!" said a young man to himself as he snipped an herb off of a plant. "What was that sound?" he looked above him to see smoke coming from the bridge. "Oh…that's not good."

"WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! UGH! ARGH! AHHHH! OUCH! UGH!" a female voice screamed as the young man watched a girl land on several branches and hit the ground.

"Oh my Gods!" he said as he ran towards the redheaded woman. "Miss! Are you ok?!"

"Ow…that hurt." said Saraiah as she brushed herself off and stood up. "Yeah, I'm fine…oh!" she looked up and her blue eyes met the gaze of none other than Dylan Frankewicz. _"Oh my, he's really attractive in person!"_ Saraiah thought to herself as she gazed at the tall, dark haired man. "Um…yeah! I'm fine! The trees broke my fall."

"Saraiah Raynes? Am I seeing things?" Dylan asked with a bewildered smile. "It's an honor to meet you again! It's been a while since I've seen you at the academy! I'm Dylan Frankewicz." He extended his hand out to Saraiah.

"Oh yeah, Dylan Frank! I know your parents! They are the ones who saved Aran Maleigha's life!" Saraiah replied as she gently shook Dylan's hand.

"Yeah, they've told me about him. I created some of the potions to help heal him!" said Dylan. "My parents did the universe a favor by saving him. I'm glad he's ok!"

"Oh, me too! He means the world to me." said Saraiah. "Thank you so much for your help!"

"You're welcome! Anyways, I noticed that your wounds healed very quickly. Do you have an explanation for that?" asked Dylan.

"I'm just that tough, I suppose! My blood is magical or something like that." Saraiah said, not wanting to share the fact that she was practically immortal, reasons for that are unknown to her.

"What happened up there, anyways?" asked Dylan. Saraiah told him about what happened just twenty minutes before. "I see. You had a bit of bad luck!"

"Yes, I suppose I did. But it would seem that he's safe." Saraiah heaved a sigh of relief.

"Well, I'm guessing that your friends and family are very upset right now. I'll give you a ride home. Does that sound good?"

"Sure thing! Do you think my "magical blood" would be useful in your experiments?" she asked as they climbed into Dylan's dark blue jeep.

"Absolutely! I didn't want to ask, but I'm glad you offered!" said Dylan excitedly.

"Well, anything to help you-I mean everyone!" said Saraiah as she blushed and turned her head away.

 _"She's so cute…"_ Dylan thought to himself. "Well, that's very sweet of you." he said with a warm smile as they drove into the sunset.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Dad." said Aran after explaining the bad news.

"It's ok, son. It wasn't your fault. Those Sumestris bastards are going to pay dearly for taking my baby girl from me." said King Cid through tears. "I'm glad you are still around, at least." he said while hugging Aran. _"I know Saraiah is alive somewhere. I know my daughter's secret."_ Cid thought to himself.

"Sir! You have to come here! It's…her!" exclaimed a guard as he burst into the royal chamber.

"It can't be…" said Aran as he and the others ran toward the palace entrance.

"GUYYYYYYYYS! I'M OK!" yelled Saraiah as she jumped out of Dylan's jeep.

"OH MY GODS! SARAIAH! You're alright!" shouted Aran as he ran towards and embraced Saraiah.

"Hey, the trees broke my fall. It'll take more than THAT to get rid of me!"

"Well, that's good. Don't you EVER do that again!" said Aran as he hugged her again. He turned towards Dylan. "Sir, are you the one who helped my sister?"

"Sort of, I guess! She didn't need much help. I just gave her a ride! Dylan Frankewicz." said Dylan as he extended his hand toward Aran. "Aran Maleigha, right?"

"Yup, that's me!" said Aran as he shook Dylan's hand and gave him a hearty thump on the back. "Thanks for taking care of her. I hope she wasn't too much trouble!"

"Not at all. It was a pleasure." said Dylan.

"Glad to hear it. Got dinner plans?" said Aran.

"I do now!" said Dylan with a big smile.

"Daddy, it's Aran's birthday…let's have another feast!" said Saraiah to Cid. "I'm gonna invite Amber too!"

"Absolutely. I'm glad you are ok." he hugged her and whispered, "I knew you were ok."

"Yeah." she whispered back. Everybody went back inside the castle and celebrated Aran's birthday.

"It's good to see you again after all this time, Dylan!" Cid said as the group sat around a large table.

"Likewise, your highness! I've been extremely busy for a while."

"How's your Fazium factory business doing?" Cid asked.

"You have a Fazium factory?" Aran asked Dylan with curiosity.

"I do, it's located on Fazia."

"Wait, that's _your_ factory?" Aran asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Yeah man, my parents are from Fazia. The people in tha town work the factory so Dylan doesn't have to go near there, bein' Seiya and all. He's the one that funded ev'rything." Markas explained. "My parents ran tha weapon shop 'round here before they were taken. It's a satellite business to the factory on Fazia."

"What Markas says is correct." Dylan turned back towards Cid and said, "It's doing very well. I plan on making another generous donation into the royal charity account soon!"

"Wow, that's so kind of you!" said Saraiah, with pure admiration in her tone. She was sitting next to Dylan and looked up at him with dreamy eyes. "Tell us more about yourself!"

Dylan looked at Saraiah and smiled at her, which caused her to blush. "I'd be glad to! I'm an alchemist, and I specialize in Blue Magic."

"Whoa, enemy skills? That amazing!" Saraiah said, wide-eyed with wonder. "Magic users are just especially attractive…" she paused and turned even redder.

"Wow, you flatter me, Princess!" Dylan chuckled, and blushed ever so slightly. "Your best friend's parents own a potion shop around here, and I distribute some of my products to them as well!"

"Oh yeah! Amber mentioned that to me! She'll be here soon, by the way!" Saraiah said, smiling.

"What weapons do you specialize in?" Aran said as he cut up some of his steak.

"I'm partial to lances. You're a bare-fisted brawler, right?" Dylan asked as he reached for his soup spoon.

"I am." Aran answered quickly before stuffing a bite into his mouth. He could see the attraction budding between the doctor and Saraiah, and he was a bit envious. He then gazed upon Leina, who was seated next to him. He relaxed a bit. "So, Dylan, in your journeys, have you come across Ryuden Lenore?"

"I actually have. I've delivered supplies to him and Katarin Romani. What's his deal anyways?"

"You know where Ry is!?" Saraiah exclaimed as she stood up abruptly. "Thank the Gods he's alive!" she placed her hand over her heart.

"Where is he, we gotta go get him!" Aran exclaimed, relieved that his cousin was alive.

"Now calm down you guys, we need to know why he's still with Katarin before we go charging into something potentially dangerous!" Cid interrupted, attempting to speak some rationality into his excited children.

"He's right. It appears that Ryuden is under some sort of mind control. They appear to be a couple." Dylan added, furrowing his eyebrows.

"That bitch!" Saraiah said, rather loudly. "I mean…he's with my sister! Yeah. He'd never willingly stray!"

"Let me join your team. I'd be more than happy to help you guys. I think I could offer my skills. I'd also like to help rescue Renaiya." Dylan said, in hopes they'd accept his offer.

"I'd like to offer my services as well." Leina finally said, after staying silent for a bit.

"I see no problem with it." Aran nodded at the two newcomers. "I'm not surprised that Ryuden fell under her mind control. It's not like standard witchcraft, which Ryuden would be immune to. It's more or less a technological control. As long as he's on her ship, he's her personal love slave. She's one of the more dangerous Sumestris agents. She likes to have her way with attractive young men."

"Oh, Ry would definitely qualify…" Saraiah said, somewhat to herself. "Leina, do you remember what he looks like?"

"Vaguely, he's cute from what I remember." Leina replied, while taking a sip of wine.

"Oh Leina dear. He's not twelve anymore." Saraiah pulled out her phone and brought up a more recent picture of Ryuden, and showed it to the former, who promptly spit out her drink.

"Oh damn. He's all grown up!" Leina said as she gazed wide-eyed at the photo, showing the young man at approximately nineteen years of age, with striking green eyes and choppy chin-length black hair. He was wearing a black button-up shirt that was undone down to the middle of his chest, and he definitely had some definition. "Yeah, I understand why Katarin would target him. His cheekbones could cut glass! But why didn't she go after Aran then?"

"She wasn't attracted to me!" Aran replied as he laughed, and felt his cheeks get warm when Leina hinted that she found him very attractive. "She likes tall men, and I'm just under six feet. And I look like a woman."

"I don't think you do, Aran." Leina smiled shyly at him. "You…look good."

"Uh, thank you Leina!" Aran's face went scarlet and he avoided eye contact with Leina. "Why do you gotta embarrass me?"

"Guys, please focus." Cid interrupted, much to Aran's relief. "Yes, Ryuden is a dashing young man, but that's not what were here to talk about."

"Yo, I'm gonna get right to work on finishing up some devices that'll block out Katarin's mind control." Markas said as he stacked his dishes, then bid everyone goodnight. "Happy Birthday, Aran!" he said as he exited.

"I think I'll go join him, perhaps I could lend a hand!" Dylan said as he too prepared to leave. "It was great finally getting to meet you all!"

"Dylan, can I come watch? Please?" Saraiah asked as she gave him puppy-dog eyes.

"Uh, sure! Absolutely!" Dylan replied, somewhat flustered at the redhead's pretty blue-eyed face.

"Yay!" she squealed as she and the doctor headed to Markas's workshop.

"Well then. She sure has a crush on the doc!" Aran said, with an amused expression. "And it seems she has the hots for Ryuden too. That girl is confused!"

"Yeah, I think I'll go observe her and the others. Just to size Dylan up, if he's got my daughter's attention. Happy Birthday, Son!" Cid walked over to Aran and gave him a hug, then left to go scope out Saraiah's new crush. Amber had arrived in the dining hall shortly afterwards.

"Oh hey Amber! Saraiah just went to Markas's workshop. How are ya?" Aran said as he smiled.

"I'm well! Just finished helping my parents close up the shop for the night. I heard about the bridge blowing up! Thank the Gods Saraiah called me to tell me she was alright!" Amber said as she placed her hand over her chest. She then took notice of Leina, and the fact that she had an athletic build. "Leina Vance? Oh my Gods! I've heard about you, and here you are in the dining hall! So honored to meet you!" she grinned from ear to ear and excitedly offered Leina a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Amber! You're Amber Lindell, right? From Lindell's Potion Emporium?" Leina said as she smiled and gently shook Amber's hand.

"Yep, that's me! Me and Saraiah have been best friends for years!" Amber said as she began filling her plate.

"She seems really nice!" said Leina.

"Oh, she is! I'm gonna go join her. It was nice meeting you!" Amber said, sweetly.

"Yo, just to let you know, Dylan Frankewicz is with her! He's joining our group as well!" Aran said, as Amber had turned towards the door.

"Whoa, really? I've SO gotta meet him formally! And happy birthday!" Amber's face lit up, and she made haste for Markas's workshop.

"So…now it's just us." Leina said, somewhat awkwardly to Aran.

"Mmhmm. So…well…what kind of hobbies do you have?"

"Well, I haven't had much time to really pick any up. I've always loved photography and poetry, though. I'd love to write someday, or just take a walk in the park and take snapshots of all the beautiful sights." Leina said, looking thoughtful. She pulled out her phone and opened the camera. "Aran, can you smile for me?"

"That's really awesome!" Aran had replied right before he saw her brandish her phone. "Smile for you? You wanna take pictures of me?" he tilted his head slightly sideways. He had the feeling that Leina was trying to hit on him, which he didn't really mind.

"I must start somewhere!" she replied, laughing. "Now smile!"

"Ahhhh…a'ight, since you asked so nicely!" Aran fulfilled her request, and displayed his perfectly straight, white teeth.

"Very nice. You should do toothpaste commercials!" Leina said with a grin as she snapped some photos, at different angles. She then pointed the phone at herself and snapped a self-portrait.

"Now _that's_ something worth taking pictures of!" Aran said, beguiled with her adorable smile.

"Oh Aran, you're too kind!" she said as she snapped more selfies, making different faces as she did so.

"I-I was just calling it as I see it…n-no need to put too much thought into it, a'ight?" Aran stammered, going crimson once again.

"Of course, nothing wrong with giving compliments!" she replied, while she scooted up close to him, then pointed her camera phone at both of them. "Smile again, Aran!"

"Holy shit, my cheeks and nose are so red in that pic!" he said as he busted out laughing. "Take another one!"

The two of them snapped more photos together, and laughed at some of the silly ones. "You take great pictures, Aran! I bet you could throw a camera against the wall and it would still take a good picture of you!" Leina said, admiring some of his more serious photos.

"Haha, but who would do that to a camera? I do like these pics, quite a bit! We look awesome!" Aran said, cheerfully as he looked at the photos of the two of them together. "Leina, I'm really glad I've met you. I want to get to know you even more."

"You mean as friends? Wow, I've never really had friends before." Leina said, as she smiled and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Well, you've got them with us." Aran said with a warm smile.

* * *

 _April 8, 2122._ "Aran! Time to get up! We have a training exam with Daddy in an hour!" exclaimed Saraiah as she barged into Aran's room and threw the curtains open.

"Oh come on, just five more minutes!" grumbled Aran as he covered his head with a pillow.

"Aran! Get up! Your breakfast is going to get cold! OH MY GODS! YOU IDIOT!" Saraiah threw the covers off of Aran only to discover that he sleeps _au natural._ She turned beet red and bolted out of the room.

"Hmph. Serves her right." Aran said to himself as he reluctantly got out of bed and got dressed. He went down to the dining room, where Saraiah, Markas, Dylan, and Leina were already sitting and eating.

"Good morning, Aran!" said Leina with a smile.

"Morning." said Aran as he nodded at Leina. Saraiah just looked at her plate and kept eating.

"So, ya ready to face tha King today?" said Markas.

"Sure, about as ready as I can be on such short notice…" grumbled Aran as he scarfed down his breakfast, poured his coffee, and left the dining room.

"What's his deal?" asked Leina as she nodded in the direction of the door where Aran had exited.

"Oh, he's just a grouch in the mornings. A cup of coffee should perk him right up!" said Saraiah. "Don't worry about it."

"Ok." said Leina as she shrugged and sipped her coffee.

"Wow, I'm kinda nervous! Daddy sure is tough!" said Saraiah, looking somewhat concerned.

"I'm sure you'll do great, Saraiah." said Dylan, smiling.

"Uh, thank you! I hope so!" said Saraiah. "Anyways, I've gotta get ready! I better see you guys out there watching us!" They all responded, saying they would be. Saraiah inhaled the last few bites of her breakfast and left the dining room. She met up with Aran, and they both walked out to the large outdoor training ground and began their warm-up exercises.

"Ah, you guys have arrived!" came Cid's voice as he emerged from behind a tree. "Very good on being punctual."

Ayako, Alex, and Saraiah's instructor, Jessie Calloway, were observing. Markas, Leina, and Dylan joined the other three.

"Ok. Aran! Saraiah! The exam is simple. I want you to catch me." said Cid.

"Yes sir!" came the response.

"Ready, set, GO!" shouted Cid.

Aran and Saraiah charged towards him. They split up and charged Cid from both sides. Saraiah pulled out a kunai knife and threw it at Cid, in an attempt to hit his knee. Cid quickly dodged and the knife barely missed Aran.

"Whoa! Watch it!" shouted Aran.

"Sorry! It's his fault!" yelled Saraiah.

Aran darted toward Cid and delivered a powerful drop kick that was easily blocked. "Ugh!" Aran growled in frustration.

Cid ducked Saraiah's nunchuck that came flying toward the back of his head. "Darn it!" she said.

"Stop criticizing yourselves! Just regroup and try again!" yelled Cid as he blocked a flying sidekick from Aran and grabbed his leg and threw him. Aran backed off for a few seconds.

Saraiah split into three of herself and surrounded Cid. She closed in on him, and he jumped up to avoid the attack. "UGH!" yelled Cid as he took a blow to the top of his head. Apparently the real Saraiah got past Cid's detection. He hit the ground, and Saraiah began to tie him up. "Gotcha!" she said.

"That was a good technique, but it didn't work quite as well as she thinks." said Jessie as she observed.

"What do you mean?" said Leina.

"Just watch."

"Huh?!" shouted Saraiah as the "Cid" she thought she captured crumbled into dust. "A dirt clone. Go figure. I bet he knew my plan the whole godsdamned time!" she said to Aran, who was standing several feet away. "Where'd he go?" she asked.

"I don't see him in front of me. He's not behind me…and he's not above me." said Aran as he winked at Saraiah. "He's not gonna bury us again!"

"Ah." she said as she backed away even further, remembering the time when Cid earth-crawled and managed to bury both of them and Ryuden up to their necks in the ground.

"GOTCHA!" shouted Aran as he pounded the ground, sending a wave of destruction spanning a fifty foot radius.

Leina gasped loudly as Ayako said "Nicely done!" and applauded.

"Wow, he's really something." said Dylan, thoroughly impressed.

"You have NO idea." said Markas with a smile. Dylan nodded in agreement. "They are both fantastic warriors." said Markas. "They will get him."

Meanwhile, Cid was sitting in a pile of rubble, brushing himself off and regaining his composure. "Did NOT see that one coming." he said to himself. "Both of them have come a long way, even Aran after being asleep for three years. Then again...considering what he is...I'm not at all surprised."

"Pay attention!" shouted Saraiah as she slammed her nunchuck into the pile.

Cid quickly but barely dodged, then retreated to the forest.

Aran quickly chugged an Ether, then he and Saraiah chased after Cid. Cid was standing behind a tree, then had to bolt away as Aran dropped from a tree branch above and kicked right through the tree.

Saraiah landed a blow to Cid's legs and he hit the ground. He quickly got back up and ducked as Aran went to punch him in the face, instead punching through another tree that was right behind Cid.

 _"Man, they mean business!"_ he thought to himself as he ducked another attack from Saraiah. He grabbed Saraiah and hurled her about twenty feet away, and he kicked Aran and sent him flying as well. They both landed close to each other.

"Shit." said Aran. "This is going nowhere, fast!" The two of them bolted deeper into the forest.

"No kidding, we need to come up with a plan!" said Saraiah.

"Yeah, so what do we do, exactly?"

"Well…he isn't immune to time magic! I can cast Stop on him for a few seconds, and you grab him and knock him unconscious. Then we can tie him up."

"Sounds dirty, but I like it! Hehe." said Aran.

"Well, I am a time mage after all, so it isn't cheating!"

"Alright, he's coming."

"Daddy! You found us! Not bad for an old man!" said Saraiah, laughing.

"Ok young lady, what are you up to?"

"Me? Nothing!" said Saraiah, shrugging.

Cid started looking around for Aran. Aran jumped out of a tree, getting ready to punch him. Little did Cid know that he was just a decoy, and that the Saraiah he was talking to was just a clone.

"Cast Stop!" came a voice from behind him.

"Damn it!" said Cid as he ceased movement. He felt Aran grab him, then everything went black.

"Oh my Gods, it worked!" yelled Saraiah as she ran toward Aran and Cid. "I mean, it did work, right? Is it really him?"

"Sure is." said Aran as he nudged Cid with his foot. "He's warm and there is a pulse. Clones don't have pulses. Plain and simple. Let's tie him up and take him inside."

Aran and Saraiah emerged from the forest, with an unconscious Cid draped over the former's shoulder. The six people who were observing began applauding. Aran and Saraiah walked across the damaged field towards Markas and the others.

"Wow, that was impressive! Great job you two!" said Ayako as Aran gently sat Cid against a wall.

"You've done well, both of you!" said Jessie. Aran and Saraiah high-fived each other.

"Here, this'll wake him right up." said Dylan as he pulled out a phoenix down. He laid it on Cid and he immediately regained consciousness. Saraiah cut the ropes off. "Gotcha!" she said to him.

"I guess so. Well done, you two." he said as he stood up. "I'm glad you did well. You are ready for the next mission, and it's going to be a doozy. Let's go inside and I will explain everything."


	4. Chapter 4

**_"Man, he must be just as nervous about this whole thing as I am. I better just let him be."_**

* * *

"Are you kidding me?! She contacted you?!" exclaimed Saraiah after she was informed that Renaiya had contacted King Cid.

"Do you really think I would joke about that, Saraiah?" said Cid. "I have a recording of our conversation." he presented a laptop to Saraiah. Aran and the others gathered around and watched the video. They saw Renaiya on a screen, it was most definitely her.

"Oh my Gods, that's her!" exclaimed Aran, pausing the video. "She's alive!" he and Saraiah hugged in celebration. They resumed the video.

 _"Now explain what is going on. I will show this video to the others."_ Cid's voice was heard on the video.

 _"Ok, I cannot talk long. No one knows I'm in here. They are all asleep."_

 _"Ok, well tell us what you can."_

Renaiya began telling Cid her situation. _"Margine has me. Saroku was definitely responsible as well. She has been very weak for the past twenty years and has been using other, younger warriors to do her dirty work. She and Sumestris have nothing to do with one another."_

 _"Ok, well you do know that Ryuden has gone rogue, looking for you?"_

 _"I did not know that. Has he contacted you?"_

 _"I'm afraid not. He went to work for Katarin. She must have him under his spell."_

 _"Oh my gosh! That's terrible! Go help him first. I'll remain in contact. I've remained unharmed and in relative comfort over the past few years."_

 _"I understand. Please be careful, darling. I love you. It's so great to see you and hear your voice again, Renaiya."_

 _"I love you too, daddy. Give Aran and Saraiah hugs for me, ok?"_

 _"I will."_ The video ended.

"Ok, so what's the mission?" Aran asked Cid.

"I want you to find Ryuden and bring him back. Take this video. I put it on a flash drive for you. It'll be very important, especially if he is under Katarin's spell."

"I see." said Aran, taking the flash drive.

"You know how dangerous he is. Be very careful." said Cid.

Yes, Ryuden is a black mage, and a good one at that. Unlike many black mages though, he knows hand to hand combat and has been trained to fight with a staff. He's hardly on Aran's level in hand to hand combat, but his magic attacks are a force to be reckoned with.

* * *

 _Three years ago, March 9th, 2119._ "Daddy Daddy! DADDYYYYYYYYYY! It's awful! She's gone! She's gooooooooooone!" screamed Saraiah as she ran toward the royal chamber.

"Saraiah, who's gone?!" exclaimed Cid as his crying daughter came running to him.

"R-Renaiya! She's gone! They left this note in her bed…"

"Father…I mean, King Cid…you never gave me the love and affection I desired as your son, so I'm taking something precious and valuable from you! Long live the Princess."

"No…"said Cid, dropping to his knees.

"It's Saroku. He took her." said Saraiah, embracing her distraught father. "Margine….she's behind this. We need to tell Aran…and…R-Ryuden."

Ryuden and Renaiya were raised together, and just like Aran and Saraiah had a relationship, Ryuden and Renaiya have one as well, and theirs was successful. Renaiya was able to suppress any sisterly bonds she had with Ryuden, and they grew very close and have had a relationship for two years, then disaster struck when Renaiya was abducted by her estranged brother, Saroku.

* * *

"WHAT!? SHE'S GONE!? THAT BASTARD, I'M GOING TO SET HIM ON FIRE AND THEN ELECTROCUTE HIM UNTIL HE EXPLODES WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM!" exploded Ryuden when he heard the bad news.

"That son of a bitch…it was me he always hated, why did he take her!?" said Aran, angrily.

Ryuden sat down at a table and put his face in his hands.

"My guess is because she's a white mage and would put up the least of a fight." said Saraiah. "He's a big dumb coward!"

"Of course he wouldn't try to take me. I would knock his ass all the way to Zebes and back." said Aran, cracking his knuckles.

"Zebes? What's that?" asked Saraiah, scratching her head.

"I dunno, some planet that some female bounty hunter frequents…it's really far away…the hunter's last name is the same as my first! I read about that stuff in our space exploration textbooks." said Aran, casually.

"Oh yeah…that place. Creepy. There's these super powerful and deadly jellyfish there…I hear they suck on you until you…die!" said Saraiah, looking a little bit spooked.

"Ex-CUSE ME! So what the fucking hell are we gonna do here? They've taken my girlfriend…they could kill her!" yelled Ryuden as he stood up and slapped the table.

"We need to organize a search and rescue. This isn't something we can just rush into blindly." said Aran, calmly.

"We don't have TIME to organize SHIT! We need to go FIND HER, idiot!" shouted Ryuden, walking towards Aran.

Ryuden was rather intimidating, being nearly half a foot taller, he was twice the size of Aran, despite that Aran was much heavier than he looked. However, Aran remained rather calm and said, "Look. You can't simply act based on your emotions. If we rush in there all crazy-like, we will all DIE."

"Well THAT'S a risk I'm just willing to take. I'll go ALONE if I have to! What if it were Serileine!?" Ryuden's intense green eyes could have burned a hole through Aran's chest with how rage filled they were.

"Well…I'd try to go for the best possible outcome, one that won't get all of us killed." came Aran's serene reply.

"HOW THE HELL CAN YOU BE SO FUCKING CALM AT A TIME LIKE THIS, ARAN!?" Tears began streaming down Ryuden's anger-filled face.

"Just get out. You don't think I'm extremely upset about this as well?" came Aran's reply through gritted teeth.

"Oh, you guys, we shouldn't fight at a time like this!" said Saraiah, placing her hand on Ryuden's shoulder. He jerked his shoulder away and stormed out of the room as he said "I'm going for a walk."

"That didn't go so well…." said Aran as he crossed his arms.

"Well, I can understand why he's upset…" said Saraiah.

"Whatever…I guess we need to make a plan ourselves. I'll contact Markas and we will hammer out the details." said Aran. "Let's get started."

Just then, the lights in the castle went out. "Yep, he's pretty pissed…" Saraiah said, knowing it was Ryuden who caused the outage.

* * *

"Hey…are you Ryuden Lenore?" said a woman's voice.

"Yeah. Who's asking?" said Ryuden in a harsh tone. A somewhat tall woman with dark hair and blue eyes in her mid-30's emerged from the shadows of the park pathway. Ryuden armed his staff.

"Oh, that's not necessary. I'm not here to fight." said the woman.

"Well, then WHAT do you WANT? I'm in a really bad mood right now!" snapped Ryuden.

"Oh yes, I heard. The Princess has been kidnapped…and who are you to the Princess?" said the woman in an indifferent tone.

"I'm her godsdamn boyfriend. Get to the point, lady, before I set you on fire!" Ryuden replied in a threatening tone as he pointed his staff at her.

"Well, cutie, I have some leads on your woman's whereabouts."

"I'm listening…" said Ryuden in a calmer tone as he lowered his staff.

"Come with me and we will go after Margine and Saroku together." said the woman, in a slightly flirty tone.

"You know who took her?" asked Ryuden with genuine curiosity, ignoring the fact that she was coming onto him.

"I certainly do. I understand that your less attractive cousin wants to sit around and make plans, correct?"

"Yes…Aran just doesn't get it. I wonder if he really cares." said Ryuden, crossing his arms.

"I'm sure he doesn't. He has his lady, and their soon-to-be son. He's just too preoccupied with his own concerns to worry about saving your girl."

"Ok, so if I come with you, we will go save Renaiya. Is that the gist of it?" The woman nodded, and Ryuden continued, "You do know that I'm an elite Black Mage, correct? If you go back on your word, there will be hell to pay. Are we clear, lady?"

"Oh, absolutely. A handsome young man like you deserves to be united with his fair lady. By the way, my name is Katarin Romani."

Katarin extended her hand to Ryuden. He shook it and said, "Nice to meet you, Katarin. I will go with you."

"Ok, meet me at my ship, first thing in the morning. If you want to come early, that's fine. My ship's tracking code is on this flash drive. Just upload it onto your gunship and you will be able to find me. Oh, and how old are you?"

Ryuden accepted the flash drive and said, "Nineteen. I will join you as soon as possible."

"Sounds like a plan. I look forward to working with you." said Katarin as she walked off. "Too easy…hehehe. He's just too yummy looking to let go. Nineteen, huh? Right in his prime." she thought to herself, grinning deviously.

Ryuden went back to the castle after Katarin disappeared from sight. _"I'm going to pack my things and get out of here as soon as possible. I'm not saying a word to Aran or Saraiah."_ he thought to himself as he went to his bedroom. _"I hope Saraiah forgives me…it's for a good cause."_ He quickly filled a few bags with clothes, potions, and various other supplies, then headed out of the castle in the middle of the night. He walked to the large garage and tossed his bags into his car.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Ryuden turned around to see Aran leaning against the wall.

"Aran…how did you know I'd be here!?" Ryuden asked, recovering from being startled.

"Let's just say that after you stormed out, I followed you into the park and stayed hidden. Katarin is bad news, Ryuden! She only wants you to come with her because she wants _you._ She has NO interest in helping you find Renaiya. She's a powerful technomancer and she will put you under her spell. You do NOT want that!" said Aran as he walked towards Ryuden.

"Who the fuck are you to tell me what I want? I want Renaiya back, and I'm not going to sit on my ass while I wait for you to come up with a 'plan'! I'm leaving and there is nothing you can do to stop me!" shouted Ryuden as he attempted to get in his car.

Aran dashed towards him and grabbed him by his collar and jerked him out of the car. "I'm sorry Ryuden, but I'm not going to let you go on a suicide mission! I will stop you if I have to break every godsdamn bone in your body, you fucking idiot!" shouted Aran as he punched Ryuden in the face. Aran slammed Ryuden against the car and started beating him relentlessly, before tossing him to the ground.

"Ugh…ugh…" said Ryuden as he coughed up blood while on his hands and knees. "UGH!" he shouted again as Aran kicked him hard in the side. "C-c-c-cast Demi!" shouted Ryuden as a large black hole engulfed Aran and dropped him to his knees. "C-cast fire!" he shouted as Aran's back caught on fire. Aran screamed in pain as he rolled around trying to put the flames out. "Cast…water…" squeaked Ryuden as he lost consciousness. The water spell doused Aran and put out the fire, but it also waterlogged him. He coughed up a good bit of water and slowly sat up against a car. Saraiah, Cid and Markas came scrambling into the garage.

"Oh my Gods, what happened in here!?" exclaimed Saraiah when she saw Ryuden lying unconscious on the ground, covered in blood.

"Oh…he thought he would take off and go work with Katarin Romani…I stopped him." said Aran, weakly. "He sure got me pretty good." Aran pointed to the burns on his back.

"Oh my gods…we need to get you two to the hospital wing!" said Saraiah, motioning Cid and Markas to go get help.

After a few minutes, the hospital staff arrived with two stretchers. Aran had passed out at that point. Both of the guys were taken to the hospital wing, where they began treatment. A couple of hours later, Ryuden regained consciousness. He had grabbed a hi-potion out of his car right as Aran pulled him out of it. He quickly consumed it and recovered. Aran was still unconscious several beds away. He quickly changed into his clothes and headed for the garage. This time, there was no one there waiting for him. He got into his car and drove off to the Air and Space Center, where he boarded his gunship and headed for Katarin's ship.

* * *

 _Back to present day._ _"Yes, Ryuden...my cousin...raised as my brother...my best friend...was extremely tough, and dangerous. The burns that scarred my back…they are gone now after my three year coma, due to Saraiah's blood. I was hospitalized for just half of a day after my fight with Ryuden. I guess his intent was just to slow me down so I couldn't try to stop him again. His plan worked, since he escaped and has been gone ever since. Now I know for sure that he never found Renaiya. I wonder if he's still alive…Saraiah was so heartbroken. She bawled so hard when she found out he left."_ Aran thought to himself as he got ready for his mission. "Oh shit, I need to go get some Ethers…and of course I need cash to do so. Guess I need to go to the bank as well!" he said to himself. "Saraiah, I need to run to Lindell's and run a couple of other errands real quick. Be right back!"

"Ok, Aran! Don't be too long! We need to get plenty of rest for the mission!" came Saraiah's reply as Aran passed her bedroom.

Aran went to his car and headed into town. He passed by his old house, the one where he and Serileine had lived. It was vacant. He felt his heart drop, and he heaved a sigh. "I guess I need to fix that thing up and sell it one of these days." He arrived at the bank, and he withdrew the cash he needed. "I guess I should pick up a few weapons while I'm at it." As he was walking to his car, he caught a glimpse of Adam Martine and a tall, blonde, super skinny, trashy, rather unattractive woman, most likely his new girlfriend. They got into their car, and Aran began tailing them. "Here I go again, always looking for trouble. Hehe. Also…that woman…what a downgrade, my gods!" He remained several feet behind them, and he saw them park and enter a small, run-down building. "What are they up to?" Aran got out of his car and snuck into the building after them, through an open window. There appeared to be a lab of some sort in this building. Aran stayed hidden and eavesdropped on the couple's conversation.

"So yeah, that bitch's ex-boyfriend killed my father two days ago!" came Adam's somewhat angry voice.

"So, what are you planning?" said the girlfriend. Aran got out his cell phone and activated the video camera. He recorded their conversation while remaining hidden.

"Ok, so it would be cliché to just kill Maleigha himself. I say we kill that hussy Saraiah instead. I hear that she is immortal…to an extent. She can't survive an internal explosion! Let's just blow that bitch to bits! That would hurt Maleigha worse than just killing him. Haha!" said Adam.

"Saraiah is immortal?! She never told me that!" Aran thought to himself.

"I love the way you think, Adam! I can develop a nano-explosive and then when you see her again, you can just get close enough to her to inject it. Then after a few minutes, BOOM! Bits of bloody cunt everywhere!" said the girl as she laughed evilly.

"Oh no the hell you don't..." Aran said quietly to himself.

"Oh Jennilyn, you are so hot with your dastardly ways, hehehe!" Aran quickly shut off the camera as Adam and Jennilyn began doing things that Aran wished he never saw or heard. He quickly exited the building, then ran to the potion and weapons shop, then hurried to the castle to inform Cid of his recent findings.

"Immortal!? Seriously, immortal!? With all due respect, Dad, you couldn't have told me this?" exclaimed Aran as he burst into the royal chamber, waving his cell phone around.

"We have our reasons, Aran. Tell me what's going on." said Cid, calmly.

"Well, I just caught a very interesting video of Adam Martine and his new piece of ass plotting to kill Saraiah." said Aran as he handed his phone to Cid.

"What do you mean?! She's immortal!"

"Just watch the video." Cid watched the video of Adam and Jennilyn, then he looked at Aran with a serious expression.

"Just give me the order, Dad." said Aran, knowing full well that Cid wanted Aran to assassinate Adam.

"I won't risk my daughter's life, and that video is the best evidence we could hope for. I ask that you just arrest the girl. Kill her if it becomes necessary, though. Now get going."

"Yes sir." said Aran as he left and went to his car. Aran drove back to the small building, where he cautiously peeked into the window.

"Gross!" he said to himself….it would appear Adam and Jennilyn were not finished with what they started earlier. "I wish I could un-see that…he really _was_ a downgrade from me…" he said as he rubbed his eyes. "I guess there's only one way to do this…party crasher style!" he said to himself as he barged right in, much to the surprise and horror of Adam and Jennilyn. "Ok, you have about five seconds to get your clothes back on!" shouted Aran as he held his hand in front of his eyes. They both complied very quickly.

"What are you doing here, Maleigha?!" said Adam, backing away.

"The name's Aran, buddy. I heard your whole conversation about wanting to kill my sister. We can't have that." said Aran, calmly.

"G-g-get away from us!" said Jennilyn as she feebly pointed a pistol at Aran. She pulled the trigger but nothing happened.

Aran walked up to her and said, "That would be more effective with the safety off, lady." He then knocked her unconscious and confiscated the gun.

"Are you gonna shoot me with that?" said Adam, as his expression grew uneasy.

"Oh no. Oh no no no. I don't use guns. I don't need them. I'm trained in well over a hundred ways to kill anyone or anything with my bare hands." said Aran, still calmly as he cracked his knuckles. "I only need one to kill you!"

He lunged at Adam and began pounding him. Adam tried to fight back but to no avail. Aran threw him on the ground. Adam reached for the pistol that Jennilyn had and fired a shot into Aran's shoulder. Aran winced slightly as he reached down for Adam and began strangling him. Aran stomped on Adam's wrist, crushing it and causing him to release the gun. Adam tried to free himself from Aran's grip, but Aran was way too strong. "Get…off of me, you bastard…the bitch broke my heart…" Adam croaked as he felt the searing pain of his crushed wrist.

"Your father deserved what he got. He took my Serileine and our unborn son away from me. He tried to kill me, and that led to his death. You won't have Saraiah as well." said Aran, then he snapped Adam's neck. "Why do people gotta be such assholes? I'd rather not have to kill people…" Aran said to himself as he closed his eyes for a moment, slightly shaken up from yet another body on his list. He walked over to Jennilyn and tied her up. She came to and saw Adam laying lifeless on the ground. She started screaming and kicking at Aran. He gagged her then tied up her ankles. "Let's go, lady. Your boyfriend had it coming, and so did his father." He threw both Jennilyn and Adam into his trunk, and made a stop to dispose of Adam in the crematorium, then drove back to the castle, and tossed Jennilyn into the dungeon. "She's all yours." he said to the guards and their dogs. "Torture her a little bit. Get some information out of that girl."

He left the dungeon and gave his report to King Cid. "Well done, Aran."

"Of course. The woman is in the dungeon, most likely being tortured."

"Oh Aran, how can you be so bad and so good at the same time?" said Cid, with an amused smile.

"I guess it just comes naturally. But it sucks not having a choice but to take someone's life." said Aran as he let out a sigh. "Anyways, I need to get ready for tomorrow and go to bed. Goodnight, Dad."

"It's never easy. Goodnight, Aran. I think I may turn in as well."

"Ow…" said Aran, as he grabbed his right shoulder.

"Aran! You've been shot!"

"Oh yeah…I guess I forgot about that."

"Here, let me help you." Cid placed his hand on Aran's shoulder and began healing it. "Looks like a through and through shot. There, that should do it."

"Ahh. Thanks Dad. Goodnight."

"No problem. Sleep well, Son." said Cid as Aran left the chamber.

* * *

"Jenn, you godsdamn fool!"

"Huh? Sam...? What do you mean?" Jennilyn sat up in her cell, to see Sam Frankewicz staring down at her, green eyes glaring over the top rims of her glasses.

"You know damn well what I mean. I put you on the Sumestris project so you could gather intel and report it back to us so we can move in on them! Not so you could fuck Adam Martine and plot the assassination of godsdamned Saraiah Raynes!" Sam snapped as she folded her arms across her rather large chest, and Jennilyn avoided eye contact.

"But...I fell in love with him...I couldn't help-"

"Silence! You don't go making nice with the godsdamned enemy! And you definitely do NOT plot against the Princess! All of this because you were horny!?" Sam said rather loudly as she leaned forward, leering at Jennilyn, causing her to back up against the wall, for Sam was not a small woman. "You could have compromised _everything._ And your little plan was more or less high treason! Now you've gotten on the bad side of the King and a fucking _Dragonsoul."_

"D-Dragonsoul?" Jennilyn's eyes widened at the sheer mention of the word. "That boy is a...Dragonsoul!?"

"He sure is. But don't expect any support from me. I'm loyal to King Cid through and through. The Hunter's Guild is not about fraternizing with the enemy. Remember what happened with Mihona when she tried to screw over my son?" Sam said as she stood back up straight, with her hands upon her curvy hips.

"I was forced, Sam! Adam made me-" Jennilyn was quickly interrupted when Sam roughly smacked her upside her head.

"I saw the godsdamned video, Jenn! You were more than happy to attempt on Saraiah's life. Consider this your pink slip, Jenn. I don't need someone like you misrepresenting the Hunter's Guild. We are finished here. I'm putting Amber Lindell on the project now." Sam placed her hands in her pockets, then turned and walked through the door to the cell, then swiped her card, closing said door and locking it.

"Hah, you backwards old bitch, you're the one who's a fool." Jennilyn said quietly to herself.

* * *

 _April 9th, 2122. "So, today's the day. The day we go after Ryuden. Hmmm…"_ Aran thought to himself as the rising sun peeked through the drapes. _"6:30 am. I still have another hour and a half. But my mind is so full. I guess I'll get some water and try to go back to sleep."_ Aran got up and put on his robe, and headed to the kitchen. He passed by the dining room where he noticed Cid. He appeared to be looking at a photo album and drinking a cup of coffee. "Man, he must be just as nervous about this whole thing as I am. I better just let him be. I need to be well rested to make sure things go well." Aran got his water and headed back up to bed.

He slept a little longer, then he was awakened by Leina's sweet sounding voice, "Good morning Aran, I brought you some coffee. Medium cream, three sugars, right?"

She was wearing green silk tank-top pajamas, her shorts showing her long, lean, toned legs. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail that draped over her shoulder. _"Wow…she looks so beautiful. Green is my favorite color…especially now."_ Aran grinned, then greeted her. "Thanks. Good morning, Leina. Did you sleep well?"

"I did." replied Leina with a smile. She sat down on his bed. Aran sat up, keeping his blanket up to his waist and bending his knees, making certain to hide any evidence of his attraction.

"Glad to hear it. This isn't such a bad way to wake up." He placed his hand right next to her bare leg, where he would "accidentally" brush up against it. Leina took a deep breath, and then smiled.

They locked eyes for a few moments, but then Leina snapped out of it and said, "Whoa, I need to get ready! Breakfast is almost done! See you there!"

"Of course! Uh…I'll meet you down there!" Then Leina left the room. _"Dammit!"_ Aran thought to himself. _"I know it hasn't been long but…jeesh!"_ He got dressed and went to have breakfast.

* * *

Leina and Dylan have officially joined the Armasa group, per King Cid's request. Aran, Saraiah, and Markas could use all the help they could get.

* * *

"Ma'am, it would seem that a ship is approaching."

"Oh really, and who might that be? Biggs, run a scan on their ship."

"Yes ma'am. This is a Seiya warship from the planet Alterra. Registered to Princess Saraiah Raynes, with Aran Maleigha and Markas Weston as secondary owners."

"Aran Maleigha and Saraiah Raynes. Ryuden, what do you think we should do about our visitors?" said Katarin to Ryuden.

"Aran…Saraiah…hmmm. Let them come. I'll deal with them myself." came the reply. Ryuden was sitting in a chair, sipping a glass of red wine while wearing a black and purple, pointy black mage hat.

"You heard him. Biggs! Wedge! Open the gates and allow our friends in." said Katarin to her two main henchmen. The Armasa group members were in each of their own gunships at this point, and they all landed in the docking bay of Katarin's ship. "Now land this ship. We are approaching our outpost." said Katarin to Biggs and Wedge. "We shall bring our guests to our manor, and give them a proper welcome." she said. "They are all in the docking bay, release the knockout gas!"

The Armasa members were seen dropping to the ground, one by one over the monitor. "I don't think that counts as 'letting me deal with them', Katarin!" snapped Ryuden.

"Please remain calm. I will contain them for you and you can do what you wish with them." said Katarin.

"Hmph. Very well." came the reply.

* * *

"Huh? Where are we? What happened to us?" said Saraiah as she regained consciousness.

"We appear to be in a dungeon…" said Aran. The five Armasa members were each in individual dungeon cells.

"Ok, so how are we going to get out of this one?" asked Leina as she observed the gate.

"The locks are digital. They can only be opened remotely or with a keycard." said Dylan as he examined the locking mechanism.

"We would risk collateral damage if we try to blow it up." said Markas.

"Yeah, so I can't safely bust through here, and I don't think that would get all of us out. Maybe one of us can get out somehow…maybe I can try to break out and find a keycard." said Aran as he felt around his cell for a good spot to break through. Suddenly, the gates all unlocked and opened slightly. "Huh? What's going on here?" said Aran as he opened his gate further and walked out. The others followed suit.

"Hmph. There you all go. Now you can come after us. This should be amusing." said Ryuden to himself after he unlocked the cages from a remote computer.

"I wonder if… _he_ did it." said Aran.

"It's possible. He's completely fearless when it comes to fights." said Saraiah, as she felt her heart race. "But…what is this creepy place?"

"It's Katarin's manor." said Dylan. "It's where she and her captured henchmen live and keep their prisoners. She has a technological mind control spell active here as well. Thankfully we came prepared, thanks to Markas!" he said as he pointed to the wrist band that kept them from falling victim to Katarin's control. Everyone nodded in agreement and glanced at their own wristbands.

"Ok, it's safe to assume that both Katarin and Ryuden are in this house." said Aran. "We need to split up. Leina, Markas, and Dylan, you take care of all of the henchmen you come across. Do not kill them. Just incarcerate them until this is over and we break the spell. Saraiah, I want you to go after Katarin. Go for the kill with her. I…will go after Ryuden." said Aran, transitioning from a commanding tone to a somber one.

"You got it, Aran. Please…bring him back." Saraiah said as she too looked sad.

"Ok, we will come assist the two of you when we are finished." said Leina. They went their separate ways to begin the mission. Aran had Serileine's stun pistol/plasma wire with him as back up.

* * *

"You must be Katarin." Saraiah said as she entered Katarin's large office.

"And you must be the young princess, Saraiah. The sister of Ryuden's long lost love."

"That is correct. What have you done to him!?" yelled Saraiah.

"Oh…he was just so handsome. Super hot, super sexy. I couldn't pass him up. When I heard that the princess Renaiya was kidnapped, and that he was her man, I couldn't resist. All these other stupid boys that I have here, they just weren't good enough to keep as a mate, just as lowly henchmen. You see, I used his emotions against him and I told him I knew where his woman was and that I would help him. He took the bait so easily and I put him under my spell. Love makes people so dumb sometimes, but it works in my favor! I must say that your sister must have been a very happy woman. Hehehe."

"Don't tell me you…you trashy bitch! How dare you take advantage of him like that! You will pay for defiling Ryuden and his relationship with my sister! You will pay for taking him away from me…I mean US!" yelled Saraiah as she prepared for a big fight.

"I won't let you take him from me!" shouted Katarin as she and Saraiah darted for each other, out for blood.

* * *

"Ah. You have found me."

"Ryuden, just stop this nonsense. Come home with us."

"No! You didn't care to help me find her. Now she's dead. You will pay for your selfishness, Aran."

"Ryuden…Renaiya's alive."

"You're lying, Aran. Don't toy with my emotions. Go back to your Serileine, since she's all you care about now."

Aran grimaced, then said, "Ryuden. Serileine is dead."

"My condolences, Aran. So, Renaiya is not alone, then."

"Ryuden, listen to me! Renaiya is alive! She contacted the King just yesterday! I have the video with me!"

"STOP LYING TO ME, ARAN!" shouted Ryuden.

"It's the truth! I'll show you now!" Aran loaded the video, and Ryuden watched it.

"What is this, Aran? You fabricated this video to try and trick me!" yelled Ryuden as he jerked the flash drive out of the computer, threw it on the floor, and crushed it with his boot.

"Damn it, Ryuden, snap out of it! Katarin has you under her spell, idiot!" yelled Aran as he slammed his fist down on the desk, damaging the desk.

"I don't know what this 'spell' is that you are blabbering about, but I'm under no spell! I'm an elite black mage and I would not be taken under some pitiful mind control! Get out of my sight, Aran. I refuse to come 'home' to you." snapped Ryuden as he turned his back to Aran.

Aran hung his head and showed obvious heartbreak for his cousin. "Please, Ryuden. What about Saraiah? We miss you, and we want you back. I will not 'get out of your sight'. Please, you have to believe me! She is alive!"

Ryuden turned around and observed the heartbreak in Aran's eyes, then said, "Pitiful emotions. They will only get you hurt in the long run. Be gone, or I will remove you by force."

Aran shed a single tear, then got in stance for battle. "Then prepare yourself, my brother!" he said in a serious, gruff tone. Aran wiped his eyes and charged for Ryuden. Ryuden quickly armed his staff and blocked Aran's punch. Aran grabbed the staff and struggled with Ryuden for a few seconds, then he kicked him in the abdomen, knocking him over. Ryuden launched a fireball at Aran, and Aran deflected it, causing damage in the room. "Ryuden, we don't have to do this! Just stop this shit and come home!"

"No! You must pay for what you refused to do!" Ryuden charged his foot with lightning and kicked Aran in the stomach, then stood back up.

Aran laid on the ground, clutching his stomach, as he said, "What…what was that?"

"I've learned to combine black magic with physical attacks. It makes for a challenging fight for my opponents, indeed."

Aran regained his composure and quickly jumped back up on his feet. He delivered a hard roundhouse, and Ryuden dodged and performed a back flip. Aran darted forward and landed a drop kick, slamming Ryuden into the ground. Ryuden rolled over and jumped back up, then cast Blizzard on Aran. Aran broke free from the ice and attacked Ryuden relentlessly. "This is ridiculous, Ryuden! I swear I will get you back home if I have to drag you back there in pieces!"

"I'd love to see you try! CAST THUNDER!" The force of the thunder attack shattered the large window as Aran jumped behind a chair for cover. Ryuden disappeared into the shadows, then emerged behind Aran, and they continued fighting. Eventually, Aran grabbed his larger cousin by the collar, placed his foot on his abdomen as he rolled backwards and flipped Ryuden over him. Aran wasn't completely aware of where he was when he did that, and Ryuden landed just inches away from the wide open window that was several miles above a ravine and tumbled out.

"NO!" shouted Aran as he leapt out after him, his smaller size allowing him to descend quickly to Ryuden. He grabbed his cousin and used his plasma wire to grab hold of the ledge from where they fell. _"Phew, glad I had that with me!"_ Aran thought to himself.

"Why did you save me, Aran? Why didn't you just let me fall to my death!?" Ryuden asked in a distraught tone.

"Because you would not see Renaiya if you died. I swear, she's alive! She would be very heartbroken if something happened to you! As would Saraiah and I!" said Aran as he began retracting the plasma wire, pulling them up.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Aran and Ryuden heard a woman scream as she plummeted into the ravine below.

* * *

 _Five minutes earlier._ "You're a tough little broad, aren't you!?" shouted Katarin as she got slammed into the wall by Saraiah.

"You bet, and a super pissed off one at that!" screamed Saraiah as she belted Katarin in the face with her nunchucks. "Your stupid mind control will not work on me, you bitch! Your control over Ryuden ends NOW!" Saraiah slammed Katarin into the window, causing it to crack, then Saraiah stabbed her in the chest and kicked her with enough force to knock Katarin through the window and cause her to plunge to her death in the ravine below. "Phew. That was one hell of a fight!" said Saraiah to herself, as her wounds started to heal. "I better go check on Aran and Ryuden…that may have done the trick!" Her heart began racing at the thought of seeing Ryuden again.

* * *

 _Back to present._ "What the hell…where am I? What happened? Aran, how did you find me?" said Ryuden, confused.

"Katarin put you under her spell, just as I predicted she would." said Aran, with his arms crossed and an "I told you so" look on his face.

"You've got to be kidding me. How long was I under?" asked Ryuden.

"Three years, Ryuden."

"WHAT?!"

"Yes. She had no intention of helping you find Renaiya. She just wanted _you_." said Aran.

Saraiah, Leina, Markas, and Dylan all entered the room. "We took care of the henchmen, then they came to their senses and went home. Saraiah informed me of Katarin's demise." said Leina.

"Nice work, all of you." said Aran, standing up.

"So explain to me what just happened here." said Ryuden. Aran explained everything that happened, and told him about Serileine and that Renaiya was alive. "Oh my gods, that's terrible news about Serileine and your son. I'm glad to hear about Renaiya, though. She told you to come save me?"

"Yes, Ry, she did." said Saraiah.

"Wow…I'm so sorry you guys, for not listening." said Ryuden as he got on his knees. "It's all my fault. Serileine, Renaiya, everything. I'm responsible." Ryuden hung his head. "Just please…try to forgive my foolishness. I understand if you don't, though."

"Dude, it's not your fault! Sumestris killed Serileine. You being around would not have changed that! Of course we forgive ya, and as for what went on between you and Katarin, you were under a powerful spell. As far as we are concerned, you have always been faithful to Renaiya. As for making the choice to go in the first place, well, that was pretty fucking stupid of ya." said Aran as he extended his hand to Ryuden.

"Well…thanks for saving me. To think I could have been a slave to Katarin for the rest of my life…" Ryuden heaved a sigh as he took Aran's hand and was helped to his feet.

"Welcome back, Ry!" said Saraiah excitedly as she hugged him tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face. "Gods, I've missed you so much! Don't you EVER leave me again, you idiot!" She buried her face in his chest, sniffling to keep her nose from running all over his shirt. She squeezed him even tighter.

Ryuden hugged her back and said, "I'm so sorry, Saraiah. It's good to be back. From now on I won't make any more rash decisions." He looked down at Saraiah and dried her tears. "No more of that, Milady! So who are our friends, here?"

Markas replied, "This is Leina Vance, she's a knight, and this is Dylan Frankewicz…or Frank. He's a doctor and the son of Sam and Charlie Frankewicz."

"Leina, Dylan, I'm Ryuden Lenore. It's a pleasure." Ryuden shook each of their hands as they expressed their happiness to meet him. "Dylan, you sure are tall. It'll be nice not to stand out quite so much now!"

Dylan and Ryuden both chuckled, and Saraiah said, "Ryuden, you still stand out…you certainly look unique! Hehehe!" then the group departed the manor and headed for their ships.

* * *

Ryuden was certainly not one to blend in. He has the good looks of his older cousin, but more youthful looking, and he is rather tall, being nearly six and a half feet, along with having light tan skin, bright green eyes, and chin length, choppy, straight black hair. His outfit was black, purple, and rather gothy, and he occasionally wore a long, dark purple cape and a pointy black hat.

* * *

"Daddy! Daddy! He's here! We brought him back!" exclaimed Saraiah as the Armasa group entered the royal chamber.

"Ryuden…" Cid walked up to him and then BAM! "Ugh!" yelled Ryuden as he hit the floor and grabbed his face. "Don't you EVER run off like that again! Do you understand!? I've been worried sick about you over the past three years! I thought you were DEAD!" shouted Cid with emotion.

"I-I guess I had that coming…" said Ryuden, regaining his composure. Cid helped him up to his feet and gave him a big hug.

"I'm sorry, King Cid." said Ryuden.

"Heh, I roughed him up real good for ya already, Dad. But nice shot! Hehe." said Aran as he joined the hug.

"Anyways, Ry! We have a lot of catching up to do!" said Saraiah excitedly as she took him by the hands and happily bounced up and down.

"Of course!" Ryuden smiled and chuckled. "Coming, Aran?"

"Yes he is! Got two of my favorite people back in my life! Let's head to the bar! I'm so calling Amber to give her the good news and invite her!" Saraiah said excitedly as she took both Aran and Ryuden by the hand and led them out of the royal chamber. The remaining Armasa members followed suit.


	5. Chapter 5

**_"I know you can't hear me now…but I just want to tell you something. Maybe you will remember it, somehow."_**

* * *

 _May 6th, 2122_. "Ok, so Amber has gained intel on another Sumestris outpost." said Cid over lunch with Team Armasa. "She downloaded the information and the coordinates to flash drives for each of you. Please take one." Cid laid six flash drives on the table, and each Armasa member collected one. "Markas has spoken to and worked with the acting owners of the weapons shop. They have new weapons and armor ready for each of you."

"Sounds great. What are we to do on this mission?" asked Aran.

"Simple. Go investigate the planet Zabezia and find the outpost. Take them down." Team Armasa, now six strong, all agreed to the mission.

* * *

"Aran! Where the hell have you been!? We've been waiting for forty-five minutes!" yelled Saraiah as Aran finally arrived at the warship.

"Sorry…spastic colon. Spicy foods get to me sometimes…and there's no reception in the john…" he said, sheepishly.

"Well, I have a potion that works wonders on IBS!" said Dylan as he handed Aran a bottle.

"Thanks, man." said Aran as he drank it. "You should distribute that to Lindell's, man!"

"Ew…I told you to go easy on lunch, Aran!" said Saraiah as she launched her ship into space.

"It ain't my fault they made it too spicy…" grumbled Aran.

Leina giggled a little bit. "What's so funny?" asked Aran, slightly annoyed.

"Oh nothing…you just seem a little _irritable_ , that's all." said Leina as she laughed.

Saraiah busted out laughing and said, "Wow, really Leina? We really shouldn't tease and laugh at him…he might _…explode_." Leina and Saraiah completely lost it.

Ryuden struggled to keep his composure, but he also succumbed to laughter.

Aran's eyes narrowed. "It's not funny." he grumbled.

Markas said, "Don't worry about them, just let them _get it out of their system!_ " then he started laughing as Dylan said, "Haha, that's what Aran was doing while we were waiting…Oh, sorry man, people finding amusement in your bowel distress has gotta _blow!_ "

By then, everyone was smirking and laughing, except for Aran who was getting rather irritated. "It's NOT funny! I'm about to lose my shit, you guys!" he yelled, then he realized what he just said and completely busted out laughing.

After a few minutes, everyone regained their composure as Saraiah said, "Wow…it's been so long since we have laughed like that."

"BOY did that feel good…" said Ryuden, "wait…I bet that's what Aran thought when he was done!" Everyone laughed some more, then Aran offered to prepare snacks for everyone.

The other men offered to help and went with him. After they left, Saraiah looked at Leina and said, "I know what you are thinking…a man THAT handsome with a colon THAT spastic?"

"I know, right?" said Leina, smiling. "He and his cousin…what good looking guys they are! The doctor too!"

"Oh yeah, Dylan…mmmm." said Saraiah as she let out a sigh.

"Saraiah…do you like Dylan?"

"You bet I do! Teehee! What a hunk!"

"What do you think about Ryuden, Saraiah?" Leina asked, with curiosity, having noticed in the past month that her friend definitely seemed attracted to him.

"Oh…nothing really, he's with my sister." Saraiah said as she laid back in her seat. "We're like brother and sister, just like Aran and I. But yeah, he seems even better looking than before he left."

"I can't argue with that. But do you truly see him as a brother?" Leina asked, noticing that Saraiah was looking a bit wistful.

"That's the only way I really can see him, Leina. Not like I'm gonna steal him from Ren. Besides, he's hyper-focused on her, which I understand, given the circumstances. Dylan though, I really wouldn't mind dating him." Saraiah shrugged, and smiled with her lips.

Their conversation was cut short when the guys came back in with snacks and drinks.

* * *

"Ok everyone, we are approaching planet Zabezia! Buckle up!" said Saraiah as she prepared for her ship to land.

"Ok, we are very close to the Sumestris base. Ready?" said Aran as everyone armed their weapons. "Let's split up. You three go in the back door, we will go through the front." Leina, Markas, and Ryuden headed for the rear entrance while Aran, Saraiah, and Dylan went to the front. They all had concealed comm systems. Aran's group encountered a couple of guards, and they quickly took them down. "We're in. How about you?" said Aran over the comm system.

"We're in as well." said Markas.

"Awesome. Let's get this bullshit over with!" said Aran.

Several moments later, Aran's group heard a loud explosion as he heard Ryuden's voice say "We found the base leader! That was Markas who made that explosion! CAST FIRA!"

"Nice work you guys!" said Aran to Ryuden's group. "We will be right up! What the hell!?"

"Oh my gods, what is that thing?!" yelled Saraiah as a large, deformed dragon-serpent like creature busted through a wall and blocked their path.

Aran bolted forward to attack, but was deflected by the dragon's tail. "Ouch! Dammit! What do we do?!" yelled Aran, grabbing his arm that began bleeding.

Dylan scanned the monster and shouted, "RUN!"

Aran and Saraiah complied and the three of them bolted to the front door. "Split up!" yelled Aran as the monster quickly caught up. The monster took sight of Aran and began attacking him. "Get away from me, you ugly bastard!" Aran drop kicked the ground and slowed down the monster for a bit. Aran hid behind a rock, but he was found a few seconds later. The monster stabbed Aran in the leg, causing him to shout in anger and clutch where the wound was. Aran scrambled away, in hopes to find a safe area, while using one hand to heal the gash in his thigh. "Dammit! He's gonna fucking kill me! Wait a sec…Saraiah." he dashed towards Saraiah, and when the monster charged for Aran, he said to Saraiah, "I'm sorry." and he pulled her in front of him, causing her to take the monster's tail right through the chest.

Saraiah let out a blood-curdling scream and said, "w-w-why…Aran…I d-d-don't understand…"

Aran took off towards the ship, and Dylan shouted, "SARAIAH, NO! ARAN! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" as he ran toward the monster who had Saraiah pinned and was repeatedly impaling her with it's tail. "GET THE HELL OFF OF HER!" shouted Dylan as he jumped high in the air, armed his lance, and dropped down and ran the dragon through. "Degenerator!" he shouted as he cast a blue magic spell that he learned while battling henchmen in Katarin's manor. The monster was disintegrated. He quickly scooped up Saraiah and ran towards the ship, where Ryuden's group rejoined them. He hurried for the sick bay and laid her on a bed where he began healing her. "Please recover, Saraiah! Please be ok!" he said as tears formed in his eyes. Her horrific wounds began mending themselves, and she woke up. "Saraiah, thank God you're ok!" said Dylan as he embraced her passionately.

"Dylan…I have 'magical blood', remember?" she said as she embraced him back. "It still hurt, so much. I don't know why he let me get hurt like that. I thought he didn't know…my secret…" Saraiah burst into tears, and Dylan held her close. "I'm so sorry, Saraiah. I don't know what came over him."

"I know the truth. I overheard a conversation between Adam and his girlfriend, which Dad confirmed." said Aran, limping into the sick bay.

"You bastard! How dare you let her get hurt like this?" snapped Dylan.

"Oh shut the fuck up…I just acted quickly…I knew she wouldn't die…Adam is dead by the way…he knew of a way to kill you and I was ordered to kill him…" said Aran, his voice getting weaker.

"Aran, why don't YOU shut up!" yelled Dylan as Saraiah began crying harder. The other three ran into the sick bay to check on Saraiah.

"What the fuck, Aran! You could have killed her!" yelled Ryuden as went to help comfort Saraiah.

"Aran…I thought you were better than that." said Leina, with obvious heartbreak in her voice. "I guess I was wrong."

"What the hell, guys! I knew she wouldn't die and I would have been killed…is that what you would have wanted, Sarai-" Aran collapsed to the floor, vomiting uncontrollably.

"Aran!" yelled Dylan as he ran over to him.

"I-I-it hurts…s-so…my b-b-body…" Aran vomited a lot of blood and then fell unconscious.

"Damn it! He's been poisoned!" yelled Dylan as he cleared off another bed. "We need to stabilize him NOW! He has no pulse!" he yelled to the other doctors. Dylan scooped up Aran and placed him on the bed, then began giving orders to the crew doctors as Leina and Saraiah watched in horror. "Clear!" yelled Dylan as he use the defibrillator on Aran's chest. "Again!" "Clear!" The monitors gave that horrifying high-pitched monotone as Leina collapsed to the ground in tears.

Saraiah was in shock. "He can't be dead! He can't be!" she thought to herself as she felt Ryuden's arms around her. Markas was comforting Leina.

"Come on you guys, his heart just stopped, he's not dead yet! Don't give up or we are going to lose him for good! Keep trying! Get an I.V. with an antidote going STAT!" came Dylan's voice, followed by the sound of beeping, which came as a huge relief to everyone in the room. "Nice work you guys. We just bought him some time. That antidote is not strong enough to eradicate the poison though. I need to make something much stronger." said Dylan as he intubated Aran and turned on the ventilator. "I'm going to put him in an isolation room." Everyone nodded, and Dylan moved Aran into a separate room.

Everyone had left the sick bay except for Saraiah, who was still sitting in her bed, and Ryuden, who was still sitting at her bedside. "Man, that's about all I can do for him right now." said Dylan as he walked out of Aran's room.

"Thank you, Dylan…I know how you must feel right now…after what he did…but I still want to forgive him. I just don't want to get hurt again. He acted without thinking clearly. He seemed really frightened, which rarely happens. Hmm…" said Saraiah as she crossed her arms.

"I know…but still. I hated seeing you get hurt like that. I care about you, and sometimes this seems to be worse than death." said Dylan as he placed his hand on Saraiah's.

"Psh…I'll forgive him after I set his ass on fire again…" Ryuden grumbled.

"Well, we need to focus on saving his life. When he recovers, we will report this to my father, and he will deal with it." said Saraiah as she turned her hand over to hold Dylan's.

Ryuden took notice of their hands, then said, "Or you can just let me set him on fire…I'd love to set something on fire." He then folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh Ry, what's wrong?" Saraiah asked with genuine concern as she noticed the mage furrow his eyebrows.

"My cousin, that's what!" Ryuden quickly retorted, eyes wide. "Silly question…" he avoided eye contact with Saraiah.

"Of course. Silly me!" Saraiah shrugged.

Dylan finally said, "Well, I should get started. Can I use some of your blood? I would like to make a powerful antidote out of it. It would seem that you were poisoned too, but your body broke down the poison and eradicated it. I think your blood would work wonders."

"Sure, take what you need, ok?" said Saraiah. Dylan prepared a needle and began drawing several tubes of blood from her arm. Saraiah got very tired, and Dylan said, "I think a nice meal would do you good. Here's some water for the time being." He took the blood samples and sent Ryuden to get the other members and request that a meal be made for Saraiah.

"Alright. That's a great idea. Saraiah, feel better soon, ok?" Ryuden hugged her and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering on her forehead for a few seconds, which made her blush and Dylan raise an eyebrow for a moment. He then turned his attention to Saraiah when Ryuden left.

"I need to get started. You get some rest." Dylan said with a warm smile as he stroked her hair.

Dylan retreated into another room, and about ten minutes later, Leina walked in with a tray with a plate of steak, potatoes, and broccoli sitting on it. There was some grape juice as well. "I hope you like it…I made it myself. Ryuden helped me a little bit." she said as she gave the tray to Saraiah.

"Thank you Leina!" said Saraiah as she began eating. "Wow…this is great!"

"I guess you rubbed off on me a little bit." said Leina with a smile.

Saraiah smiled back and said, "Thank you so much! That really hit the spot. I feel so much better now!"

"You're welcome. Are you ok? I mean, are you _ok?_ " said Leina, asking Saraiah how she was feeling about what Aran did.

"I dunno, Leina…I guess. I mean, as I told Dylan and Ry, he acted without thinking. He was scared beyond all reason. I just don't think he understands that things still hurt me even though they won't kill me. Hmm. Besides, I'm more worried about him right now than I am angry at him."

"Well, if you put it that way, I guess I can cut him some slack too. I hope he will be ok…" said Leina, with a concerned expression spreading across her face.

"Me too. Let's go check on him." The two women walked to the isolation room, where they looked through a window and saw Aran lying motionless on the bed, with the lines on the monitor giving a steady, but weak, rhythm.

Leina leaned her forehead against the glass and let out a big sigh. "It doesn't look good. I don't know what I'll do if he dies…" Leina said as she fought back tears.

Saraiah placed her arm around Leina, and said, "Leina, we gotta have faith. I know this poison is very complex, it's not the same as physical damage to him, but he has still been through a lot and he managed to survive. I trust Dylan with all of my heart." Leina embraced Saraiah and the two stood in each other's arms for several minutes while they stared through the window at their ailing friend.

"So…Leina. What do you think about him, anyways?" Saraiah asked her about Aran.

"Um…is it not obvious by now?" said Leina, looking at Aran again.

"Of course it is. You're in love with him. I just wanted to hear it from you! Oh, this is great. I think you two would be great together!" said Saraiah.

"I think so…it's just crazy how I've grown to love him so much after just a few weeks…I don't want to lose him before he knows how I feel, Saraiah." Leina began crying again. "But what about Amber? Doesn't she like him too?"

"She did, yes. But to be honest, she told me she gave up on him as soon as you entered the picture. But she seemed at peace with it." Saraiah shrugged and squeezed Leina's shoulder.

Dylan walked by and saw the two women, and said, "I know it doesn't look too promising right now, but I'm pretty confident that I can save him. I need to extract some of the poison from his body for the antidote. However, a pure form of the venom would be ideal…but how would we get it? Hmmm…The monsters on Zabezia all have the same type of poison that ails Aran."

Saraiah touched Dylan's arm as she replied, "Dylan, I was caught off guard when Aran threw me in front of the monster. I can go kill one of the smaller monsters and extract some of the pure poison."

"Saraiah…are you sure?" said Dylan with concern.

"Yes. I can certainly handle one of the smaller monsters. Let me go, if it increases the chances of Aran's survival, I'll take that risk." said Saraiah.

"Very well then. Please be very careful! Take this syringe and extract about 100 cc's each and place it in these vials." Saraiah took the bag of supplies and headed for Zabezia to complete her task.

Leina looked at Dylan and said, "What a good woman, Dylan."

"She sure is. I think something is going on between us already…" he replied with a smile.

"Well that's good…can I go see him?" Leina asked, referring to Aran.

"Uh…sure. You like Aran, don't you?" said Dylan. Leina just smiled as she followed Dylan into Aran's room. "I'll leave you alone with him." said Dylan as he left the room.

Leina pulled up a stool and sat next to Aran. She took him by the hand and leaned over onto his chest, and listened to his heartbeat. It was weak. "Aran, I know you can't hear me now…but I just want to tell you something. Maybe you will remember it, somehow." She sat up and used her other hand to stroke his hair, while she continued holding his hand. "Aran, I know it hasn't been long since you found out about Serileine. I can only imagine how you must feel. Right now, seeing you lay here, I can begin to understand, even just a little bit, what it's like knowing you could lose someone you care about…" Leina choked back tears, and continued, "I couldn't live with myself if you died, without me telling you how I feel." She laid her head on the nook of his shoulder and placed her arm over his chest. "Aran…I love you." Leina began crying bitterly as she continued resting her head on his shoulder nook.

"Mmmmmm…" a soft groan came from Aran. He seemed to be responsive, but showed no sign of waking up. Leina looked up to see a single tear squeeze from his eye. Perhaps he felt the same?

Saraiah had returned a while later and was looking through the window as she also cried, moved by Leina's emotions. "Godsdamnit, why does she have to get all mushy?" she said to herself, as she wiped a few tears from her eyes.

Dylan walked up next to Saraiah, and said, "Saraiah, she really seems to care about him. I will do my best to save him. I hope Leina can tell him for real, one day, and he will hear her and love her the same. I know if I loved someone, I would want to tell them as soon as possible, before it's too late."

Dylan looked at Saraiah, and met her gaze. He took Saraiah's hand, and interlocked his fingers with hers. Saraiah walked closer to him and placed her hands on his shoulders as he placed his hands on her waist. _"Oh my gods, this is it. I have NEVER felt like this before!"_ Saraiah thought to herself as Dylan placed his hand under her chin and lowered his lips to hers.

Just as Dylan and Saraiah kissed passionately outside of the room, Leina kissed Aran lightly on the forehead, since the ventilator barred access to his lips. He moaned again and grimaced, as if he were about to cry.

"I love you, Saraiah." said Dylan as he pulled away for a second.

"I love you too, Dylan!" she said as she pulled him back in for another smoldering kiss. They pulled away and stood in each other's arms, about to kiss again when Ryuden walked up and said, "OY! Am I interrupting something? How's Aran?"

"Oh…Saraiah, sweety, you got the stuff, right?" Dylan said to Saraiah as he squeezed her hand.

"I sure do, darling!" she replied as she handed him the bag.

"You are the best, baby! Ryuden, it would seem he has a strong chance now! I'd better get to work! Love you, Saraiah!" said Dylan as he gave her a quick kiss and headed towards the lab.

"I understand, Dylan! Go get 'em! …what?" she turned her attention to Ryuden, who had an amused expression on his face.

"Well, that happened fast!" jeered Ryuden.

Saraiah smirked, then said, "Oh yeah, and it's great, Ryuden! Instant chemistry! Mmmm…" Ryuden rolled his eyes as Leina came out of Aran's room.

"You're back, Saraiah! He's responding, but doesn't appear to be able to wake up…Did you get the stuff?" Leina asked.

"Oh yeah, she gave it to her _new boyfriend_ and he went to make the antidote!" said Ryuden, forcing a smile. "Oh, and that's awesome that he's responding, even just a little bit…"

"Saraiah, you're flushed. Is it true?" asked Leina.

"It sure is! Dylan and I are together now! Heehee! Now we need to wake Aran up so you two can be together! The fact that he's responsive is a good sign! The power of love! Hehehe!"

Leina blushed and Ryuden said, "Ohhhh…and you like my cousin, eh? Come on ladies, let's cut the mush already, you're gonna make me puke up pink frosting and rainbows over here!"

"Oh Ry, we will get her back as well. I know how much you miss her!" said Saraiah as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I know…and don't let Renaiya's absence keep you guys from displaying _reasonable_ amounts of affection around me, you got it?" Ryuden replied as he gave Saraiah's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Dylan seems to be a good guy. I'm happy for you both. Let's go get some coffee, shall we?"

The girls nodded and the three went and joined Markas in the lounge. They told him about the recent turn of events, and Markas said, "I'm glad to hear it. Saraiah, you ain't mad at him?"

"Nah." came the reply. Saraiah told Markas what she had told Dylan and Leina about Aran's actions.

"I see. We're are still going to report him, correct?" said Markas.

"I'm afraid so. I don't want it to happen again." said Saraiah. "Leina, I hope you understand. Daddy won't do anything serious to him, he will most likely suspend him or something." Leina heaved a big sigh and nodded.

"I'm gonna take a cup of coffee to Dylan…and yes! I'm gonna kiss him some more!" said Saraiah as Markas and Leina gave amused grins. Ryuden just rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee.

* * *

"Yes! This will work! Now I just need to let it simmer for three hours. Aran has at least that long." Dylan said as he set a beaker with his antidote mixture on a hotplate.

"Hey honey, I brought you some coffee! How's it going?" said Saraiah as she entered the room.

"Hey Saraiah! Thanks, I'm gonna need it! Things are going great, actually! All I need to do is wait for this mixture to simmer and blend, then I can separate it into several injection tubes. I'll give one to Aran, and we will all have one of our own to use. I plan on making more after Aran is taken care of!"

"Oh my gods, Dylan! That's fantastic news!" Saraiah threw her arms around Dylan and gave him a big kiss. "I thought I'd let you know that he's slightly responsive." She told him what Leina told her.

"Fantastic. That is a very good sign. He's a tough guy." said Dylan with a smile.

"Oh, but Dylan. I need to explain something, and please hear me out." Saraiah told Dylan about her romantic past and how she was treated due to her moral values. She told him about what went on between her and Aran as well.

"Wow…" said Dylan, "I'm so sorry you went through all of that. Two years with Aran? And you guys waited for six months to sleep together? Wow."

"Well, we were sixteen when it happened. We were still young. And I'm sorry Dylan, I just want to be careful and take things slow. I hope you understand. Please don't be mad at me!"

Dylan hugged Saraiah and said, "Sweetheart, I'm not mad at you. I've had…more liberal values about that, but I understand. As difficult as it will be, I'll wait until you are ready. We can take our relationship slow. I think you are worth the wait."

He smiled at her, and Saraiah smiled back and said, "Thank you so much, Dylan! This means the world to me, and YES, it will be sooooo hard!"

Dylan chuckled, then said, "Believe me, I understand how you feel. I've been hurt before also."

"Well, tell me about it." said Saraiah, holding his hand.

"Well, about six years ago, when I was twenty-one, I met a woman named Mihona Yubari. She was just a year younger than me. She was really beautiful, with black hair and brown eyes. Oh, not as pretty as you, not by a long shot!" he said when Saraiah displayed a slightly envious look. "Anyways, she seemed like The One. Sweet, pretty, smart, all that stuff. I was quick to give myself to her, and our relationship was based around pure physical attraction. We really didn't have a whole lot in common. After a four year relationship, I found out she's actually a member of the Hunter's Guild, an all-female team of independent bounty hunters. She revealed this to me after she tried to apprehend and deliver me to Sumestris. I was forced to defend myself, and I put her in the hospital, but not without suffering injuries of my own. Needless to say, that relationship was beyond salvation."

"Yeesh, the Hunter's Guild? Those broads are no joke! But I thought they were good guys! I'm not sure who else is part of it, since they need to keep their affiliation under wraps. I remember reading that story in the news about you and Mihona. It was a huge mess that Sumestris and your mom had to clean up, for sure."

"Sure was, she went off grid shortly after she was discharged from the hospital, and I went to to work independently. My mother fired Mihona and claimed treason."

Dylan heaved a sigh, and Saraiah embraced him and said, "Dylan…I'm sorry that happened to you. I promise I will never hurt you like that. I'll never side with Sumestris! I love you and only you. I don't love Aran in that way, only as a brother. Besides, you can certainly trust me, but you can also trust him. He may be pretty hot-blooded and passionate, but he's not a playboy who only wants a place to put it…hehe. Believe it or not, he's only been with two women, including me! He's twenty-four for crying out loud…and quite a catch."

Dylan chuckled and said, "Well, a three-year coma may have something to do with it, but that's neither here nor there. I believe you. You are much different…you have a good heart." They kissed again, then the timer on the mixture went off. "Alrighty then! Let's cool this down, and go save Aran!" said Dylan as he placed the mixture in a freezer for a couple of minutes.

"We could use Ryuden right about now!" said Saraiah with a chuckle.

"I suppose, that blizzard spell of his would be useful." said Dylan as he watched a clock and prepared the vials. "This one is an intravenous preparation. I will inject it into his I.V. and it should work within a minute!" said Dylan as he filled a syringe with the new antidote.

"I've gotta go get Leina up here! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" squealed Saraiah with excitement as she went to go get the others. Everyone returned and gathered around Aran's bed and Dylan injected the antidote.

"Alright guys, this should do it!" said Dylan.

"Come on Aran…" said Leina as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Aran started stirring and slowly regained consciousness. He gagged a little bit on the ventilator.

"Ok Aran, I need you to cough for me!" Aran complied as Dylan pulled the tube out.

"You did it, Dylan!" Saraiah exclaimed as she threw her arms around him. Leina shed tears of joy as she gave Aran a hug.

"Nice recovery, man!" said Markas as he shook his hand.

"Yeah, welcome back!" said Ryuden.

Saraiah hugged Aran, and the latter remained silent, mulling over what he did to her. He felt bad for hurting her, but he still stood by the fact that his decision ultimately saved everyone's lives.

* * *

 _May 7th, 2122._ "Is this true?" said Cid after Dylan and Saraiah reported Aran's actions on Zabezia to him.

"Yes. He allowed Saraiah to take the hit and be brutally injured. He used her innate healing powers against her." said Dylan.

"Damn it, this is why I don't like telling people about it!" said Cid, frustrated.

"Daddy, he only acted out of pure fright. However, it hurt so much. He has to learn his lesson and make better choices next time." said Saraiah.

"Very well. I will take appropriate disciplinary action with Aran." said Cid in a calm tone.

"By the way, Daddy, Dylan is my new boyfriend. He's a real gentleman!" said Saraiah, grabbing hold of Dylan's hand.

"I see. Make sure you take good care of my daughter! I admire your bravery, Dylan. I'm pretty sure Aran may retaliate for ratting him out. Nothing drastic, but expect a fight. He's tough, but I'm sure you can handle him. He doesn't have a really short fuse, but it's pretty bad when he finally loses his temper!" said Cid, placing his hands on Dylan's shoulders.

"I understand, King Cid. I don't fear your son. I care more about Saraiah than what Aran thinks of me." said Dylan as shook Cid's hand.

"Hah, just be glad it's not Ryuden you have to worry about!" Saraiah, said, laughing. "He's a top-notch black mage…with a nasty right hook!"

"Right, I'll keep that in mind!" Dylan replied as he shook his head and smiled. _"Perhaps I need to worry about him in a different way, though…"_

* * *

"What the hell do you mean, _suspended from duty!?_ " yelled Aran when King Cid confronted him.

"Watch your tone, young man! You let my daughter get hurt. I don't care if she's immortal, she still feels pain and you are not to use her as a shield EVER AGAIN! Figure something else out and don't be a spineless coward!"

"But-she's just fine-and the group needs me on duty!" shouted Aran as Cid's expression grew rather irritated. "Have you gone senile!? My actions saved our asses, even if they were a bit unethical!"

"Listen to me Aran, and listen good! You don't seem to have ANY remorse for the pain you caused her. I'm disgusted with you! You are suspended from duty until further notice. No ifs, ands, or buts about it! Do you understand!?" yelled Cid as he stormed out of Aran's office.

"That son of a bitch Dylan ratted me out! Who the fuck does he think he is!? DAMN IT!" he yelled as he grabbed his large, heavy desk with one hand and hurled it through the large office window. A young couple was sitting below and got up and walked away in the nick of time.

Dylan was in the indoor training center, practicing his martial arts. He kept thinking about Aran and what may ensue between them eventually. "Damn it, I really didn't want to drive a wedge between us…but still! He can't take advantage of Saraiah's…curse…like that." He thought to himself as he broke through a cinder block that he materialized with alchemy. He armed his lance and began practicing with it.

"SO! It looks like someone is unable to mind his own godsdamn business!" came Aran's snarky voice. Aran entered the training room.

"What are you doing here, Aran?" snapped Dylan.

"Thanks to you, I've been suspended from duty until further notice! Why didn't you just come right to my face and bitch instead of running to the king!?" shouted Aran, advancing towards Dylan.

"I tried going directly to you and you wouldn't listen! After you recovered from the poisoning, you didn't say a single word to Saraiah! Not even an explanation! I could have handled that dragon if I needed to! Instead you used Saraiah as a shield to save your own skin!" yelled Dylan as he used alchemy and caused several pillars to emerge from the floor towards Aran.

Aran quickly prepared himself and broke through all of the pillars. "Oh ho ho! You're gonna have to do better than that to take _me_ down, Dylan!" said Aran as he cracked his knuckles and prepared for battle.

"I'm just getting warmed up, Aran. Let's do this!" said Dylan as he armed his lance and engaged Aran.

Several blows were exchanged, and between Dylan's alchemy and Aran's extreme physical attacks, the training room was reduced to ruins. Both of the men were laying on their backs, breathing heavily.

"You just don't get it Aran…Saraiah means everything to me…you...are expendable! The king sees you that way and so do I!" said Dylan as he stood back up and walked toward Aran.

"You don't know SHIT! She's only interested in you because she thinks that she has no chance with Ryuden!" yelled Aran as he jumped back up and began swinging at Dylan. "He's ten times the man you'll ever be!" Aran shouted as he delivered a hard roundhouse right into Dylan's head, knocking him to the ground.

"Oh really? Because it looks like Ryuden agrees with ME!" said Dylan as he sat up, with his hand on the side of his throbbing face. He was using a healing spell. He soon jumped back up and slashed his lance across Aran's abdomen.

"Gods what…the fuck did ya do that for!?" Aran growled as he clutched his torso.

"How does it feel? Saraiah felt way worse pain than that." said Dylan in a low, serious tone.

Aran began healing his wound, which wasn't deep enough to be fatal. "Go fuck yourself."

"Unlike you, that's not necessary for me to do!" Dylan replied with a smirk, prompting Aran to slam his fist into Dylan's face, knocking him back several feet and onto his back.

"Better to be single than someone's consolation prize…" said Aran, glaring at the suplexed doctor, who was clutching his face and groaning in agony. He turned and left the training area.

"Maybe…maybe…he does have a point…" Dylan said to himself as he began healing his broken nose. He then performed an alchemic spell that reconstructed the training room. He shuffled off to his new office, with which he was presented when he joined Team Armasa.

* * *

"Hmm…I wonder what Aran's up to. He's been rather stressed out after everyone wigging over the Saraiah incident. Maybe he'll be interested in a few drinks." said Ryuden to himself as he walked down the castle hallway.

Just then, Aran came storming down the hallway in a huff, and walked right past Ryuden without a word. Ryuden began to ask Aran about going out to the bar, "Hey Aran-" but Aran glared at him and he just put up his hands and said, "Well never mind then, Aran!" and walked in the opposite direction. "I'm now back to setting him on fire…I guess I'll see if Dylan wants to grab a few drinks." Ryuden thought to himself as he walked to Dylan's office.

He opened the door and felt a stabbing pain on the bridge of his nose as it started bleeding and a knife hit the door jamb. "YEEOUCH!" he shouted as he grabbed his nose.

"Oh my gods, Ryuden I'm so sorry!" said Dylan as he went to heal his nose.

"You know, if I did anything to piss you off, you could just talk to me about it…" said Ryuden, jokingly, as his nose was healed. He noticed the pictures of Aran on the door and wall riddled with throwing knives and said, "Oh…him."

"Yeah, he's really pissing me off right now. It's like he doesn't care about Saraiah's well-being! She said she had 'magical blood'. I have no idea how 'magical' that is, and I know that Aran sure didn't!" said Dylan in an exasperated tone.

"Well, I personally think you lot are acting like fucking children. And that's sad considering I'm younger than the three of you. He does feel bad about hurting her. You gotta chill out." said Ryuden in a calm tone. "It pissed me off as well, but Saraiah is just fine now. You don't see me running to the king about it."

"I dunno, Ryuden. It just bothers me. I'd feel better if he genuinely apologized to her." said Dylan, crossing his arms.

"I don't think he needs to, Dylan. She knows he had good intentions. He will come around, and of course King Cid will reinstate him if there is a genuine need for him." said Ryuden. "Anyways, Dylan, want to grab a few drinks, just you and me?"

"Sure, I could go for a few. Let's invite Markas too, and have a guys' night. Saraiah would be cool with it, and she could spend some quality time with Leina." said Dylan as he shook Ryuden's hand and gave him a thump on the back. "Did you invite Aran too?"

"I tried…he about burned a hole through my chest with the death glare he gave me." said Ryuden as he smiled and shrugged. "Maybe some other time. Also, you had better take care of Saraiah, otherwise I'll do far more than smash your face in."

"What, you don't trust me?" Dylan said, laughing somewhat.

"Not with her, I trust hardly anyone with her. I have my reasons." said Ryuden as he turned for the door. "You coming, mate?"

"I see." came Dylan's reply as he followed Ryuden.

* * *

"I thought I'd find you here." said Leina when she spotted Aran sitting by the river.

"Oh...hey Leina..." said Aran, calmly, "this is where I go to relax and ponder."

"It's very peaceful. May I sit with you?" said Leina as she walked towards Aran.

"Sure." came the reply.

"I heard about what happened. I'm sorry. I could have talked them out of it…" said Leina, hanging her head.

"No…it's not your fault. I hate to say it, but I sorta deserve it. I really was being selfish." said Aran as hugged his knees to his chest.

"You weren't being selfish. Saraiah knows that."

"Ugh, I know he just cares about her, so I can't blame him…"

"Well, isn't that what you want for her?" asked Leina.

"Absolutely. Adam never would have done something like that. He was such a selfish coward. But…Dylan said something that kinda bothered me. He said I was…expendable. He probably didn't mean it but, ya know…hmmm." said Aran as he rested his chin on his knees.

"I'm sure he didn't. Once again, he was just speaking through anger, right?" said Leina as she placed her hand on his back.

"Yeah, you're probably right, but he seems to only be thinking with his heart and not his brain…" said Aran as he scooted closer to her.

"I think he just needs to blow off some steam, and you should just apologize to Saraiah. I think that's what's bothering him the most. I'm sure Dylan doesn't hate you. He worked hard to save your life, and I could tell that he was concerned on his own, not just on behalf of Saraiah and I…" said Leina as she placed her whole arm around Aran's shoulders.

"I don't really care what Dylan thinks of me, but he had no business running to my father. That's something we could have discussed amongst ourselves." Aran leaned on Leina's shoulder and began thinking, _"Too soon, Aran…too soon. You're not ready yet…Leina deserves your all…but man she's comfortable. Mmmm. Just enjoy the moment. I remember her saying something significant to me earlier…was that just a dream?"_ "Leina, you're a great friend. Thank you." said Aran as he continued resting on her shoulder.

 _"I guess he's still not ready yet. One step at a time. I guess this is the best we can do for now. Maybe it's better this way."_ Leina thought to herself as she leaned her head on Aran's. "You too, Aran. Thank you."

"I will apologize to her, but she has gone to bed early. I'll do it first thing in the morning. Even if it's just to keep the peace." said Aran as he closed his eyes and rested on Leina's shoulder a little longer.

"I don't think you're expendable, Aran. Not at all."

* * *

 _May 8th, 2122_. "I'm sorry, Saraiah. I was being a big selfish coward. I didn't mean to hurt you." said Aran as he handed her a bunch of her favorite flowers, brightly colorful daisies. Saraiah gently set down the flowers, walked up to Aran, and socked him in the jaw, hard. Aran hit the floor and said, "I deserved that…"

"NOW I forgive you, asshole!" she said as she helped him up.

"Ok, I deserved that too." said Aran, referring to the alternative name that Saraiah used.

"Don't you ever hurt me like that again, you big meanie! If you do, I will kill you myself. Got that?" said Saraiah as she hugged him. "And next time, don't smash Dylan's face in!"

"Fair enough." said Aran as he hugged her back. "But I'm not sorry for that! I totally went easy on him."

"I don't doubt that, Aran. Now let's go meet him for lunch. We can talk things over then."

"Sounds like a plan. Mind if I invite Leina?"

"Not at all!" said Saraiah excitedly. "Oh, and I'm sure you figured out that Dylan and I are together now?"

"Yup. Congrats! Leina and I haven't gotten there yet. I need more time." said Aran as he left Saraiah's room.

"I understand. I need to get a vase for these…thanks for the flowers, Aran!" Saraiah hollered to Aran, then she followed him down the hallway. "Oh, and I'll have Dylan repair your office window…but you are swinging for the desk yourself! Hehe!" she said as she caught up to him.

"Oh ok, I can do that, at least…hehehe!" said Aran as he affectionately put his arm around his sister and they pranced down the hallway.

* * *

"Dylan, I'm sorry about hurting Saraiah, but I had to think fast." said Aran, sitting across from Dylan at the local café.

"I forgive you Aran, and I guess I can kind of understand why you did it, but I still hated seeing Saraiah hurt like that." said Dylan.

"Well, ya mentioned earlier about being able to take care of that monster…so why didn't you? I could have lived anyways and Saraiah wouldn't have gotten hurt." said Aran.

Dylan sighed and said, "Well…because I was scared as well. It wasn't until Saraiah got hurt that I finally snapped out of it…hmmm. I guess I really screwed up as well."

Aran raised his eyebrow, in subtle agreement.

"So it would seem that you were equally responsible, Dylan, although indirectly." said Leina.

"I know…I know. It's my fault too." said Dylan as he put his face in his hands and sighed.

"Come on you guys, there's no point in playing the blame game. Heck, I could have done something long before Aran did what he did. I think that the whole thing on Zabezia was a bad case of 'shit happens'. We're all ok, and that's what matters. Now that I think of it, it wasn't the best decision, but he did make one, and we all turned out ok! Dylan, I think we're the ones that owe Aran an apology. Aran, I'm sorry for ratting you out to Daddy." said Saraiah as she placed her hand on Dylan's shoulder.

"Ok, I'm sorry too, Aran. Next time, I think we all need to practice 'mind over matter' so no one has to make any decisions…or lack thereof…like that again." said Dylan.

"You're forgiven." said Aran.

"Oh and Aran…" said Saraiah, "I'm the one who ratted you out to Daddy. You should have come after me. Hehe."

"Nah, he made the right decision coming after me. I'm sure you could handle yourself, but immortal or not, no one picks fights with my girl!" Dylan said with a smile as he hugged Saraiah.

"Well, I wouldn't have done it anyways. I don't start fights with ladies. I'm sure we would have had a BIG shouting match though…and I never want to go up against Saraiah in one of those!" said Aran, chuckling. "Besides, Ryuden doesn't take well to people fucking with Saraiah!"

Everyone chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'm glad everything seems to be good now. Oh! Here comes our food now!" said Leina, excitedly.

"Yes! I'm starving!" Aran said with a big smile.

"Oy, heyo guys!" Ryuden said as he slid into the booth, right next to Saraiah.

"Oh hey Ry! What a pleasant surprise!" said Saraiah as the two of them side-hugged. The others greeted him as well.

"So, did you kids sort out your business already?" asked Ryuden as he swiped Dylan's bowl of soup and began chowing on it.

"Hey, that was my soup!" Dylan grumbled, eyebrows furrowed.

"Well it's my soup now. Oy!" Ryuden summoned the waitress back to the table. "Ma'am, can we get another bowl of the potato soup?" he politely asked with a smile.

"Sure thing!" The waitress replied with a big grin.

"I think she likes you, Ry!" Aran said with an amused expression. "Why don't I ever get big smiles like that?"

"It's because you always looked pissed off!" said Ryuden, referring to the fact that Aran had a default expression that looked angry. "You're intimidating! Besides, I'm not flirting, just being nice!"

"Haha, it's not like I know when I look murderous!" Aran said as he shrugged. "But to answer your question, yeah we sorted out our business. No one's really at fault here."

"Glad to hear it. Hey Saraiah, you oughta taste this!" Ryuden said as he dipped his finger into his soup, then offered it to Saraiah.

"Alright!" she said without hesitation. She lightly sucked the soup off of his finger and looked into his eyes for a moment. "Mmm…yummy."

Dylan loudly cleared his throat, which prompted Saraiah and Ryuden to face the table once more. Ryuden glanced up at Aran, who looked rather amused. "Well, I should be going! Saraiah, you can finish the soup!" Ryuden said as he stood up, and bid everyone farewell, as he dropped a few gil on the table to cover the bowl of soup.

"Well then. That was a bit much, but no matter. I'd rather focus on dealing with Sumestris. Things are far from over with them." Dylan said as he decided to not react angrily to Ryuden's actions.

Aran ate his sandwich as he thought to himself, _"Ryuden did that on purpose. Seems there's another rooster in the henhouse. I really wonder where things between him and Renaiya stand."_

"I agree, Dylan. Amber has been very busy scoping them out. I miss her." Saraiah said as she pushed her food around her plate with her fork. "But at least she's been making our jobs easier, I suppose."


	6. Chapter 6

**_"Well, it's not worth risking your life or compromising yourself. Just keep on as usual and try to find out what you are able to."_**

* * *

 _June 11th, 2122._ "Just a simple escort mission? Ugh. I was hoping to get some action again!" said Aran after the Armasa group was informed of a new mission.

"Yes, Aran. Just a simple escort mission. Be glad you get even that much, considering you're still restricted." came Cid's reply.

"Fine…" said Aran, reluctantly.

"Oh come on Aran, you know it's never that simple in the long run…and Daddy, I told you that we all worked things out. Could you please cut him some slack?" said Saraiah, patting Aran on the back.

Cid nodded and said, "Yeah, it could turn into an action mission, it usually does."

"I hope so! Anyways, who are we supposed to escort?" said Aran.

"Ok, here's the deal. As we all know, the prince of Mirrassei, the lower kingdom of Alterra, is on his way here. He is preparing for a diplomatic mission to the planet Valharia. Mirrassei and Seiyomari have been allies for decades, and we just found out, thanks to Amber, that the Valharians have been harassed by Sumestris just as Alterra has been for the past ten years. They have a base on that planet. Prince Leon plans to establish an alliance between Valharia and Alterra. Saraiah, I want you to represent Seiyomari." said Cid.

"Got it, Daddy!" said Saraiah.

"Mirrassei…that's where my mother was from. She married my human father, Kaine Lenore." said Ryuden, somewhat quietly. "Just the fact that I'm half Mirrasseinian, half human, and was raised by the Seiya…is enough evidence of our alliance."

"Well…even so! That Leon dude is kind of an idiot, and he's nowhere near as accepting of humans as most Mirrasseinians are…" snapped Aran as he cracked his knuckles.

"Aran, he's a prince, not a 'dude'. Also, try not to beat him up." said Cid, slightly irritated.

"I'll try, but it would be unfair to promise." grumbled Aran. Saraiah and Leina giggled.

"Anyways, he will arrive in an hour. Pack what you need and be ready to head to the Air and Space Center." said Cid.

"I'd like to pack Prince Leon into a bag and he can ride with the rest of the luggage…"

"Aran!"

"Ok ok, Dad, I'll be nice!"

* * *

Team Armasa got ready and were waiting in the lobby when Prince Leon arrived. He was just a couple of inches shorter than Aran, dark haired, blue eyed, and tan skinned. A rather dashing young fellow, 20 years of age.

"Ah, the famed Armasa group! And you must be Aran…the _human_." said Leon, with a haughty tone.

"Got a problem?" came Aran's reply as he cracked his knuckles.

"Oh no. None at all." said Leon, calmly.

"ANY-ways…" Saraiah interrupted, "I'm Saraiah Raynes, the Princess of Seiyomari."

"Ah, I see! Such a fair maiden." said Leon as he kissed her hand. Dylan cleared his throat loudly.

"Yeah…Leon, meet my boyfriend, Dylan Frankewicz. He's a skilled blue mage and alchemist, as well as a doctor." said Saraiah as she pulled her hand away. Dylan towered over Leon, being almost as tall as Ryuden. He shook Leon's hand as he gave it a tight squeeze.

"Ok you guys, we need to get going!" interjected Leina. Everyone agreed and they headed out.

* * *

"Whoa…cool ship!" said Leon as he walked around, in awe.

"Yeah, it's mine." said Saraiah. "Want a tour?"

"Sure!" said Leon.

"Oh, and Dylan will come with us." said Saraiah.

"Uh…sure. That's cool…" said Leon in a slightly disappointed tone.

"Good riddance, for now." said Aran when Leon left the cockpit with Saraiah and Dylan. "Damn human-hater."

"Oh come on, Aran! Try not to let him get to you." said Leina.

"Yeah, easier said than done. I would think you'd understand why I don't like him!" came Aran's exasperated reply.

"I do. I just don't think you should be in a bad mood for the whole trip!" said Leina, raising her voice.

"What's your problem, Leina!?" snapped Aran.

"What's yours!?" yelled Leina as she stormed out.

"Alrighty then…" said Ryuden, "um…Aran, if it makes you feel better, I can set Princy's ass on fire if I need to!"

"Heh, that would be entertaining to watch." said Aran, "but seriously…what's gotten into Leina? She's not herself."

"No idea." said Ryuden, shrugging. "But I really want to set that asswipe on fire."

"Meh…it's probably just nature's monthly gift." said Aran, shrugging. "and you really are such a pyromaniac, Ry." he continued, laughing.

"Yeah, probably." said Ryuden, nodding in agreement. "And yeah. Some…guys give me that urge. Wouldn't mind setting Dylan's ass on fire either."

"Really, and why's that?" Aran asked, with a bemused expression.

Ryuden just stared at him awkwardly for a moment, until he finally said, "Because I'm a fucking pyro, Aran! No other reason! Can I set you and Marky here on fire too?"

"Ok then, Ry…" Aran shook his head. "And no, you may not."

"What are you implying anyways? I have a girlfriend…but yeah, as for Leina, I'm sure she just needs her space." Ryuden quickly changed the subject back to Leina.

"I suppose she does…" Aran said, shrugging.

"I wouldn't put too much thought into it." said Markas.

"Women." they all said in unison.

* * *

"Cool place you got here, Princess!" said Leon.

"Thanks…um, I have a question. What's your problem with Aran?" said Saraiah, genuinely curious.

"Aran? He's a human…it's weird. How useful can he be?" said Leon, shrugging.

"Plenty. I'd check my attitude around him if I were you. His fuse isn't ridiculously short…but the bomb it's attached to is pretty darn nasty." said Saraiah in a serious tone.

"I can vouch for that. He roughed me up real good a few weeks ago, and I'm a trained fighter. What about you?" said Dylan.

"Oh…I'm just in nobility. I'm a novice in black magic. That's about it." came Leon's sheepish reply.

"Well…" said Saraiah, "you know Ryuden…the really tall black haired guy with the really pretty green eyes?"

"Yeah, the half-breed." said Leon.

"Ryuden tried escaping to go work for a nasty woman a few years ago, and Aran nearly beat him to death. Ryuden is a black mage as well…and he's no novice. Not by a long shot." said Saraiah.

"Your point, Princess? He's just a human. He couldn't touch me." said Leon, seeming unimpressed as he stuck his nose in the air.

"Her point, Leon, is that Aran's one tough son of a bitch, human or not. Stop talking trash. Do NOT get on his bad side." snapped Dylan. "Feel free to find out for yourself though, I don't care. This tour is over. Come on, Saraiah."

"Great idea." said Saraiah as she and Dylan walked away.

"Hmph. That Aran guy can't be that impressive. No way." said Leon as he sat down on a couch.

* * *

"Leina! What's wrong?" asked Saraiah as she saw Leina walking down the hallway, obviously upset about something.

"Ugh! Aran's in such a crappy mood and he's getting on my nerves!" said Leina, exasperated.

"Leina, I don't blame him. Leon is pretty irritating." said Saraiah, placing her hands on Leina's shoulders. "Now, what's really bothering you? You seem pretty upset for it just being Aran's mood causing it."

Leina sighed, then said, "You're right. It's not Aran's mood. It was just a trigger. I've been informed of something terrible."

"Well, you can talk to us about it." said Dylan, motioning her into another room to talk.

"Ok, tell us what's going on." said Saraiah as she, Leina, and Dylan all sat down in chairs.

"I've spoken to my parents, and the king. The Sumestris leader, Vince Yunari, wants to call a truce with Seiyomari."

"What?! Why would you be upset about that?! That sounds like really good news!" exclaimed Saraiah, highly confused.

"That's the problem. The conditions that must be met for the treaty to be official…" Leina's eyes began welling up, and Saraiah and Dylan took her hands as Saraiah said, "Leina…what is it?"

"Vince asked for my hand in marriage, and I'm being forced to comply!" Leina started crying and Saraiah and Dylan embraced her.

"Leina…that's awful! There's gotta be something we can do! Why are you being forced?" said Saraiah as she stroked Leina's hair.

"B-b-because if I d-d-don't…the treaty will n-n-not be recognized and Sumestris will k-k-kill Heather!" Leina cried even harder.

"Oh my gosh…I've gotta talk to my father!" exclaimed Saraiah. "I gotta get Amber on this!"

"There's nothing you can do…Heather's life is in my hands now. Amber offered to go in my place, but Vince was pretty adamant about it being me." Leina said through tears, "That's why Aran…got to me…I'll never be with him…" then she cried so hard she could barely breathe.

"Damn it! This isn't fair!" shouted Dylan as he stood up abruptly.

Leina slowly regained her composure, then said, "Aran must not know about this right now. We need to finish this mission." She wiped her eyes as Saraiah said, "I won't say anything right now…but he needs to know soon…"

* * *

"Alrighty then, guys! We are approaching the planet Valharia! Buckle up!" said Saraiah in a forced cheerful tone. She landed her ship at the Valharia Air and Space Center, but as they all were about to exit their ship, they all started feeling very fatigued and Leon passed out. "Not this shit again…" said Aran as he passed out. All of Team Armasa and Prince Leon were knocked out.

* * *

"Guys…where are we? Not again…" said Aran as he came to and looked around, "why couldn't they just come and fight us instead of gassing us like cowards?"

"Because, if they came after a measly human like you, it would have taken the fun out of it for them…just a theory." said Leon, with a snooty grin on his face.

"Idiot." said Dylan.

"Alright, that's it! Lemme show you how pathetic I really am!" yelled Aran as he advanced toward Leon and picked him up by the throat with one hand. Leon gagged as he pounded on Aran's arm. "Whatsa matter? I thought I was just a measly human! You should easily be able to free yourself! Hmph." Aran dropped Leon on the ground and walked away from him.

Leon let out a big sigh and looked over at Saraiah. "Don't look at me, I warned you!" said Saraiah as she put her hands up.

"You'll pay for that, human." Leon grumbled to Aran.

"Yeah yeah, blow it out your ass, Princy." said Aran as he walked around, observing the holding cell they were in. "Dylan, can you scan this place?" Aran said to Dylan.

"I'll give it a shot." said Dylan as he scanned the cell. "Ah yes. We are in the Valharian Sumestris base. It's a square tower, and the holding cells are all on the outside perimeter. The door to the cell is six inches of solid steel."

Aran thought for a minute, gave a crooked smile, then sat down and began thinking.

"Oh great. So we are all stuck in here without weapons, locked behind a solid steel door…" whined Leon.

"Well, we always figure a way out of things. Aran is an awesome person to have around at a time like this, so quit being so godsdamned negative!" snapped Saraiah to Leon.

"Why are you taking it so personally, Princess? Did you…sleep with him or something? He's your brother for crying out loud!" jeered Leon.

Saraiah quickly put a knife to his throat. "What the hell kind of question is that!? It's none of your damn business!"

Leon put his hands up and backed away. Aran was blushing with his eyebrows furrowed.

 _"Lucky bastard…"_ Dylan thought to himself about Aran.

Leina blushed as she thought, _"Lucky little bitch…"_

"ANY-ways…" interrupted Aran, "…y'all don't have weapons, but I still have my hands! I'll figure something out." said Aran, still sitting on the floor.

"Well, we need to come up with something. There's some kind of technology blocking the use of strong Fazium-based techniques, so I can't use alchemy to create a hole in the door." said Dylan, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, I hardly generate much Fazium at all. None of my techniques use much…six inches, right? How much does the door extend into the wall?" said Aran to Dylan.

"I see…just a sec. Ok, the door extends just four inches into the wall. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Aran?" said Dylan with a wink.

"Uh huh. Give me just a minute. I have one chance to do this." said Aran as he began concentrating.

"Oh, I get it. The human thinks he's gonna get us out of this and save the day. We are screwed. Just admit-OUCH! What the hell, lady?!" Leon yelled as he grabbed his nose after Leina kicked him in the face for badmouthing Aran. "Just shut up and watch." Leina said, gruffly.

Aran grumbled a little bit, then said, "Alright ya'll, stand back! Shit's about to hit the fan!"

"Right…this I've gotta see." sneered Leon.

Aran just looked at Leon, gave a devious grin, then charged for the door, drew back his fist, and sent the door sailing.

"WHAT THE-! How did you do that!?" screamed Leon in absolute shock.

"Just a useless human trick." said Aran as he ran out. Alarms started blaring and a voice came over the intercom saying, "Warning! Security Breach!" over and over.

"Come on guys, let's move!" shouted Markas as he motioned everyone to follow Aran.

"Guard the vault! Don't let them get their weapons!" shouted a guard.

"Yeah…that one is an unarmed fighter, genius…I'm outta here!" said another guard, pointing to Aran as he watched him incapacitate two guards with relative ease.

"Get back here!" shouted the first guard as the second one took off. "Oh SHIT-!" he screamed as Aran lunged forward and snatched him by the collar.

"Open it!" yelled Aran as he jerked the guard over to the door that blocked off their weapons.

"Let me go!" yelled the guard as he struggled.

"Open it. NOW." said Ryuden as he walked up to the guard, cracking his knuckles and giving him a nasty glare. The guard looked at Ryuden, and just seeing his size and rather demented looking face, complied quickly.

Aran grabbed hold of the guard again and snapped "I'm not done with you yet!" as the others retrieved their weapons. "Alright mister, where is your leader!?"

"I'm not telling you!" yelled the guard as he spit in Aran's face.

"Oh, so it's gonna be like that. Ryuden?" said Aran as he released the guard.

Ryuden pointed his staff at the guard and said, "Take us to your fucking leader. Or…would you rather be barbecued, electrocuted, frozen, waterlogged, poisoned, or shall I see what other nasty black magic I can pull out of my arsenal?" Ryuden jabbed the guard in the chest with each elemental threat he gave. "I really want to set someone on fire!"

Aran grabbed the guard by the wrist and twisted it behind his back. The others pointed their weapons at the guard. "Ow ow! Ok ok! I'll take you!" said the guard.

"Thank you. Now let's go!" said Aran, pulling the guard along with him. They took down several agents as they headed for the leader's office.

"It's right through there…" said the guard, feebly, "but you need a code…"

Aran was about to persuade him to open the door, then Markas fired a missile at the door and blew it open. "Finally, it worked!" yelled Markas as everyone barged into the office. "Get yo hands up!" shouted Markas to the Sumestris leader.

"How did you all get in here?!" yelled the leader. He looked at the guard, and said, "Oh, I see. Coward." and shot the guard dead in cold blood.

"What the fuck!? You kill your own men? You're disgusting! Let's tear this asshole apart!" shouted Aran. "Markas! Saraiah! Dylan! You guys get Leon outta here! We'll stay behind and take care of the leader!"

"Roger!" came the reply. Leon was escorted out of the room while Aran, Leina, and Ryuden stayed behind. They engaged the outpost leader, and he proved to be a formidable foe. This leader is an android with a wide arsenal of attacks. He overpowered Aran and Leina, Aran by landing a concussive blow to his head, and Leina by shooting her in the abdomen.

"NO! Aran! Leina!" yelled Ryuden, feeling his magic boiling up inside of him. "You will pay for that, asshole!" he shouted as he cast Thundara multiple times, causing the android to short circuit. Ryuden used a phoenix down on Aran and a hi-potion on Leina, since she was still conscious.

"Is he dead?" asked Aran as he stood up and brushed himself off.

"I think so…I had a major fit of rage and shocked the shit outta him…" said Ryuden, "you guys alright?" Aran and Leina nodded.

"I'm fine, let's get outta here." said Aran as he moved towards the door.

"What's that beeping sound?" said Leina as she turned toward the motionless android.

"OH SHIT, IT'S A BOMB!" screamed Ryuden as the whole place went up in smoke. The tower collapsed with Aran, Leina, and Ryuden inside.

* * *

"Oh my gods! The tower!" yelled Saraiah when she heard the explosion and saw the tower collapse.

"Do you think they were still inside?" said Dylan, with concern.

"I hope not…" said Saraiah.

"Aran! Do you copy? This is Markas. Come in Aran!" Markas tried to contact Aran and the others, but he got no answer. He shook his head and said "I can't reach them…"

"Oh no…" said Saraiah, growing uneasy.

"I dunno, maybe something happened to where they just can't communicate with us. Maybe they're ok…hopefully." said Dylan as he held Saraiah's hand.

"Well, either way, we need to complete this mission. Let's go." said Saraiah.

The remaining Armasa members escorted Prince Leon to the Valharia kingdom and successfully requested the alliance. They agreed to help take care of the Sumestris outposts in their region so the Alterrans could easily protect their own region. The Armasa members and Leon headed for the Sumestris base to see if they could find their MIA comrades, then they were ambushed. "Oh my gosh! Sumestris machines!" yelled Saraiah as they were surrounded by three robotic dragons. These ones were tougher than the one they encountered back on Alterra. Saraiah cast Haste on her companions and they engaged the robots. Leon was able to use some low level black magic to protect himself. Markas fired a missile at one of the robots, but the robot caught it and threw it back at him. It exploded and sent Markas flying. He was down for the count. "Markas!" shouted Saraiah. A few agents showed up, but they were quickly defeated by Saraiah and Dylan. One of the robots swung its tail to stab Dylan and Saraiah jumped in front of him. This time, she was ready. She knocked Dylan out of the way and caught the tail in her shoulder, trapping it. She then grabbed the tail, held it in place, and used her nunchucks to break through the tail. She pulled the tail out of her shoulder and the wound began to heal itself. "Saraiah…" said Dylan.

"Just thank me and help me take these guys down!" said Saraiah as she helped Dylan up.

"Uh…thanks. You ok?" said Dylan.

"Of course I am!" came the reply.

"HELP!" yelled Leon as he was picked up by a robot. "Let me go!" he shouted as the robot started to fly away with him.

"Leon!" yelled Saraiah as she began to chase after him. Suddenly the robot fell to pieces, and Leon was released from the robot's grip. Saraiah caught him and took him to Dylan to be healed. "What just happened!?" she exclaimed. She saw the figure of a man leap from the debris and smash the other two robots with relative ease. "Aran…?" she thought to herself. "But…he can't do attacks like that so frequently and so close together! What's going on?" she said out loud.

Just then, Ryuden and Leina emerged from behind the ruins and came running towards Saraiah, Dylan, and Leon. "Oh my gosh, you guys are alright! You made it out!" exclaimed Saraiah as she ran up to them and hugged them.

"Well, we didn't quite make it out…" said Ryuden, "I think Aran's on something…it's freaky. He saved our asses!"

"What do you mean, _on something?"_ said Saraiah.

"See for yourself." said Leina. Aran finished off the robots, and walked towards the others. He looked strange. There were vivid blue veins on his neck, extending to his jaw. They appeared to originate from the back of his head, and he had dragon-like fangs.

"Aran, are you ok?" said Saraiah, slightly startled.

"I'm fine…" said Aran, in a tone more gruff than usual.

"So what happened back there? How did you guys survive?" asked Dylan after he used a phoenix down on Markas.

"Well," said Leina, "the leader was an android. Aran and I were injured and Ryuden got really angry and cast Thundara on him repeatedly. After we were healed, the android activated its internal bomb and blew the place sky high. I thought we were finished, but then these weird veins appeared on Aran's face and he covered us when several large objects fell on us. He took the brunt of it and shook it off like it was nothing. He quickly grabbed both of us and darted out of there, fast as lightning. It was crazy."

"Yeah, I felt this unusual amount of Fazium build up within me…I was briefly invincible. However…I felt incredibly sick when it happened. Hmm…" said Aran, as the veins were slowly retracting.

"Whoa…sounds like Fazium poisoning…" said Dylan, "but how? You don't generate enough Fazium to be affected! How strange…" he continued, crossing his arms and thinking. _"So it must be true, what Mom said. He must be a Dragonsoul."_

"I dunno, maybe a brain scan could tell us something. Right now though, we need to get back home and report to King Cid." said Aran.

"Told you it wouldn't be simple!" said Saraiah.

"It never is." said Aran.

"Holy smokes! That was bloody amazing! I was wrong. I'm sorry Aran! Can you find it in your heart to forgive my insolence?" said Leon, groveling at his feet.

Aran smiled and said, "Of course. I can find it, even in my human heart, to forgive you. But! You better clean up that attitude, pal, 'cause it's pretty damn off-putting. We'll escort you home, and make sure you take care of your kingdom, no matter who inhabits it and what they have to offer. You'll be much happier in the long run."

"I will keep that in mind, Mr. Aran." said Leon, with a smile.

* * *

"Oh Saraiah hunny, I'm so sorry I've been distant lately." Amber said as she embraced her best friend. "Sam and Cid have been running me all over the galaxy with the Sumestris project."

"I understand, Amby. I just miss you! I've been super busy as well, between missions and dates with Dylan."

"Oh yeah, you two have been together for a month now, yeah?" Amber said with a smile. The two of them arrived at the local gym and headed for the treadmills.

"Hehe yeah! He's so sweet! I seriously think he's the one!" Saraiah said with a big grin as she pressed a few buttons on the machine and began walking at a brisk pace. "Ugh, but I feel so awful for Leina. Being forced to marry that asswipe Vince Yunari!"

Amber had activated her treadmill as well. "I really tried to help, but Vince just wouldn't agree to it. It was awful just seeing Leina's very soul drain from her eyes. Like, I've never put much stock into love at first sight, but even I admit that she and Aran have a strong connection."

"I've noticed that as well. It's gonna be hard to break the news to Aran. I happen to know that he really likes her as well." Saraiah looked over at her friend, to see that she had started walking faster.

"So, he does truly return her feelings." Amber's expression grew somber.

"I'm so sorry, Amby."

"No, it's alright. At least she's a great person. Not that it matters at this time, considering she's in that predicament." Amber then stopped the treadmill, and took a swig of water. "Why don't we go to Club Nocturne so I can cope a bit."

"Sure thing, girl! We haven't had a girl's night in a while!" Saraiah said as she too powered down her machine. "I'd invite Leina, but she has to begin her preparations already. Vince wants to wed her in just two days!" she continued, her eyebrows furrowed as she shook her head.

"Yeah, he's extremely eager. He's a creep! Even creepier is the fact that no one has seen his sister Melissa, but she runs the show in the shadows."

"I agree. I wonder why that is." Saraiah said as she grabbed her gym bag. "Let's go back to the castle and have a bath!"

"Ooh great idea! But I need to do something real quick. I'll meet you there!" Amber said with a smile as the two of them headed for the parking lot.

* * *

"So Vince wouldn't accept your offer to marry him in Leina's place?" Sam asked when Amber gave her report.

"Nope, it was a no-go. Seems I won't be able to gather any further information on him and Melissa. Maybe Leina can, though. We can try to turn this around to work in everyone's favor." Amber said, optimistically.

"We're still trying to find out why Serileine Lorin was murdered in the attacks. They sure went through a lot of trouble to carry that out." Sam said as she pushed her glasses up with her finger. "Jennilyn basically only found out the size of Adam Martine's cock and not much else." She continued, eyebrows knitted together in frustration.

"Ugh, I still want to knock her silly for plotting against Saraiah!" Amber replied as she cracked her knuckles. "We really need to be more discerning when we accept members into the Hunter's Guild. First Mihona, now Jennilyn. I'm also doing what I can to find out the truth behind Serileine's death. Those reports are hard to come by, and not many agents speak of it."

Sam heaved a sigh, then said, "Well, it's not worth risking your life or compromising yourself. Just keep on as usual and try to find out what you are able to. Go help plan the wedding, starting tomorrow."

* * *

"Hey Ry, whatcha painting, bro?" Aran asked as he joined his cousin, who happened to be recreating a photograph which he had attached to a smaller easel.

"Oh, just a recreation of this photograph that Leina gave to me! I paid her to take some nature photos for me. She's really good! She even threw in some pictures of Saraiah and Amber!" Ryuden said with a smile as he swiped the brush over the canvas, and began what appeared to be a petal. "No flower is as pretty as those three ladies, or Ren!"

"I have to agree. It's only been two months, and I already have serious feelings for Leina. If I ever feel depressed, she helps me feel better. Not by coddling and pitying me, but by inspiring me. She has me take goofy pictures with her, and I just can't help but laugh!"

"That's bloody awesome! I think you should go for it. You deserve to be happy." Ryuden said as he continued applying brushstrokes to his painting. "I love roses, especially purple ones. I just love anything purple, really."

"I think I will. However, she's not answering her phone. Maybe's she's just tired. I suppose I'll talk with her tomorrow." Aran shrugged and grabbed a sketchbook and begin flipping through it.

"Oy! Don't look through THAT!" Ryuden whipped around and lunged for Aran, whom had a huge grin on his face after seeing a graphic, colored drawing or two of Renaiya...plus a couple of Saraiah, Amber, and even Leina.

"Dang, Ry! You're drawing nudes? Talk about hidden depths!" Aran said, laughing hysterically as Ryuden pinned him down and snatched the book from him. "Can I have the ones of Leina? I'll pay you!"

"If you keep your gob shut, then you can have all the nude drawings of Leina you want! For free!" Ryuden snapped, blushing immensely.

"Shit, I can sketch her to my heart's content, but I can't color like you! Holy fucking shit Ry, this is the first time you've ever turned me on!" Aran said, chuckling.

"Oh Gods Aran why must you be so gross!?" Ryuden grumbled as he furrowed his eyebrows, his face as red as Aran's eyes. "I'm keeping the ones of Saraiah, though! I swear you had better not tell Dylan that I have those!"

"The ones of Saraiah? Pfft, I've got videos of me and her, I don't need drawings!"

"ARAN! Fucking HELL why would you tell me that!? You're so perverted!"

"Says the guy who's drawing nudes of at least four different women!" Aran retorted, chuckling.

"They're all beautiful women who…um…inspire me. Yeah. I'm gonna go with that." Ryuden quickly sat back down at the easel and resumed painting the rose.

"You have a thing for all of them!?" Aran exclaimed, looking confused.

"No, Aran. I just think they're attractive. Ren is the only one I have a "thing" for."

"I'm surprised that you feel that way about Leina. She's gotta be like an A cup, maybe a B. Not like that's a bad thing by any means…" Aran's voice trailed off as he blushed intensely.

"C'mon Aran, I love big boobs but I'm not that fucking shallow. She's got killer legs, a toned butt, and she's really freaking pretty. And she's an awesome person. With all that, if there's at least something to grab on her chest, I'm happy. But really, she wouldn't be my choice after Ren. She's clearly yours, and well, there's another woman who I think is damn near perfect. Not that I'll ever reveal who that is."

"I doubt you really need to, Ry." said Aran as he picked up and blank sketchbook and began drawing.

"I suppose you can keep that, Aran. I've got plenty lying around. Are you gonna start drawing naked women now?" Ryuden asked as he turned towards Aran and folded his arms across his chest.

"No, nothing like that." Aran said with a wistful smile. "I think I'm ready to move on. I know Serileine would want me to be happy. She and our son are happily walking the gardens of heaven."

"Awh, Aran. I'm sure they are. You are such a strong person." Ryuden said with a warm smile as he observed Aran sketching a picture of Serileine and what Aran imagined their son would look like at three years old, hand and hand.

* * *

 _The Next Day._ "Alright, Miss Lindell. This is my wedding, and you'll do as I say and make sure it goes perfectly." Vince Yunari said to Amber, while she was seated with him and a few other agents. "I want everyone wearing black. Black and blue decorations, keep it simple. Only Sumestris agents may attend. You do know why I turned down your offer, correct? It's because I just don't find you attractive at all. You and the princess are just trashy. Well, at least Princess Saraiah would be a better choice than you, since she's royalty. However, I have my reasons for getting to that Dragonsoul with the red eyes."

"How did you know he was a Dragonsoul?" Amber asked, attempting to steer the conversation away from how worthless Vince thought her to be, since she believed that Aran felt the same way towards her.

"My parents told me about them, of course! There's a whole other story regarding them, but I will not waste my breath chit-chatting with the likes of _you._ " Vince replied, with a smug expression. "Just get to work on those tasks."

"Yes sir." came the reply as she was dismissed. Amber waited for Vince to disappear to his office, then Amber began snooping around the agency. "So this is the main base…I need to figure out a way to report this back to Sam and the king! Oh, but I must investigate further!"

The blonde used her keycard to enter a research room. She sat down at a computer and began looking up the layout of the base. She hacked the system in order to access the top-secret files, using a special device that Sam had the Westons create. She came across a detailed map, and her eyes fell upon the name she was looking for: Melissa Yunari. "So, that's where she is. I must find out more about her! But how…? Oh yeah, Vince is leaving to meet with Leina soon! That'll be my chance!" She disconnected her device, and headed to her own office, which was a simple cubicle that was standard issue for new Sumestris agents. She pulled up the info she had gathered, and observed the map until it stated that Vince had departed. She quickly headed for the rest areas, and looked for a vent. She climbed into it and quietly crawled to Vince's office, with an arm device depicting the layout of the ventilation system. She soon arrived at the office, and gracefully descended from the vent in the ceiling.

"Oh ho ho, now I can snoop through his computer to my heart's content for the next hour or so!" Amber said to herself as she hacked into his computer system. She used her finger to flip through files until she stumbled across one that said, "The Serileine Lorin Project".

"Oh my Gods, I need to send this to Sam right now!" Amber exclaimed as she attached her downloading device and prepared to copy the file to her drive.

"Excuse me, but what exactly do you plan on doing with that file?" A woman's voice was heard from behind her. Her heart began slamming against her chest, for she had a feeling that it was Melissa.

Amber slowly turned around to face the woman whom the voice came from. "Oh my Gods, it's you—" she couldn't finish her sentence, before she was quickly knocked unconscious.


	7. Chapter 7

**_"That is true, Doctor, but even he can only do so much, and a week is just not enough time…there is only one thing to do."_**

 _June 13th, 2122._ "Oh man…" said Dylan as he observed the images of Aran's brain from a monitor.

"What is it, Dylan?" said Aran over the intercom. Aran was in an MRI machine where Dylan examined images of his brain to find out where the Fazium came from.

"Aran…there seems to be a small mass of pure Fazium in your brain. It's…inoperable."

"That's not news to me, Dylan."

"I see. I've honestly never seen anything like this before. It's a miracle you're even still alive with a mass like this. Dear Gods, it takes up half of your brain, and has integrated itself." Dylan said as he downloaded the images to his laptop, then brought Aran out of the machine.

"That's crazy. I was told that a seal had to be placed on me, otherwise I could be a danger to everyone, and it could potentially kill me." said Aran as he sat up.

"Right, we need to inform Cid immediately."

* * *

"Oh no. This is bad." said Cid when informed of Aran's diagnosis. "Margine was abducting and experimenting on humans twenty five years ago. One of them was a young woman, who was just a few weeks pregnant. Margine injected pure Fazium into the woman's placenta through her abdomen. The woman managed to escape, but the damage had been done. The woman's name was…Lucretia Maleigha. She informed me of this, and that she overheard Margine plotting my assassination. We could not extract the Fazium, and we feared for the baby's life. We had Margine banished, and Lucretia went on to have a healthy 9 pound son."

"Which was me…son of a bitch. This would also explain why they attacked Ellanore Village…and why I was able to incapacitate Margine. They were after my mother, and they killed the other villagers as well. Ryuden's father was my mother's brother, so it was like an added bonus. But why is it showing symptoms now, after all these years?" said Aran, pacing around.

"When we found you and Ryuden, you had blue veins on your face. Clearly Fazium poisoning. We brought you two home to us, and a few white mages and I performed a seal on you." said Cid as he walked over to Aran. Aran moved his hair out of the way as Cid pulled his collar down. He placed his hand on Aran's shoulder, and Aran felt an unusual amount of warmth, from the magic that Cid was using. "Just as I thought…it's gone. The seal has worn off. This is bad…your life is in danger, I'm afraid." said Cid. He let out a big sigh and began thinking.

"Wait, so this is gonna kill me? You've gotta be kidding me." said Aran as he sat down and rested his chin in his hands.

"So, can we not recreate another seal?" asked Dylan.

"Not really, it took ten of us white mages, and we are down to one. That was on a four year old. I can't do it on my own. It costs too much Fazium, and I'm getting old. I could die before it's complete. Ironic, how it takes Fazium to seal Fazium…hmm." said Cid.

"No Dad, it would not be a worthy sacrifice, especially if it didn't work. There's gotta be another way." said Aran.

"Well…there is a small village that borders Mirrassei. It's led by the Ravencrow family. Their son is a competent white mage and summoner, one of the best. He generates almost as much Fazium as Saraiah. I think he could help you. He graduated from our academy just last year. He's a good kid, but he didn't talk much. Go to the Ravencrow village. I think the boy would make a good addition to your group as well. Stop at the Mirrassei shopping plaza and grab some new weapons and armor while you are at it. Go inform the others and get going." said Cid.

"Sounds good. I hope this boy can help…" said Aran as he and Dylan left the royal chamber.

Alex had walked in and said, "I overheard the conversation. So the seal is worn off?"

"I'm afraid so. It's not Aran's life I'm worried about. That seal is for the safety of others."

"I understand that precautions were taken when you and Sarah brought those two boys here, including the decree forbidding that anyone spoke of their origins." Alex replied, also speaking of Ryuden.

"Exactly. I feel that a good upbringing is the best thing we could have done for them, as well as the citizens. However, I fear that if this gets out, it will be very troublesome to sweep under the rug." said Cid, folding his arms across his chest.

"Have you seen Leina today? She really seems down and has been acting strange since we got back from Valharia…especially towards me. I'm worried about her." said Aran to Dylan as they walked down the hallway, with windows overlooking the castle's landscaping.

"Oh, she's not coming with us today. Never again, in fact." said Dylan with a look of sadness on his face.

"Why not, what happened to her?" asked Aran as his heart sank.

"There's something I need to tell you. Sit down." Aran sat as his breathing rate increased.

"Dude, what's going on?" said Aran, growing uneasy.

"I'm really sorry to have to tell you this…" Dylan explained the arranged Sumestris marriage that was about to take place to Aran.

"WHAT!? YOU'VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME! FUCKING SHIT!" Aran began shouting rather nasty words as he stormed down the hallway to the royal chamber.

"ARAN! Come back! The Fazium!" yelled Dylan as he went after Aran, whom had veins spreading to his face again. "Crap, I need to stop him now!"

"CID!" Aran shouted as he busted into the royal chamber. Cid was standing there, accompanied by Count Matthias and Countess Emma Vance, who were looking at him with disgust.

"Aran!" shouted Dylan as he ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder. "Calm down! The FAZIUM!" Aran began taking deep breaths as Dylan handed him a special potion. "Here, this should reduce the poisoning for now, but you need to calm down!" Dylan said as he helped calm him.

Aran regained his composure, took a deep breath, and sighed as he said, "Dad…when were you going to inform me of this travesty!?"

"After you had completed the mission that I asked you to go on. Why are you still here?" said Cid, somewhat exasperated.

"Because this is bullshit! What about how Leina feels?! Is this really what she wants?!" snapped Aran, as he tried not to get too angry.

"Well, human, it's for the good of our kingdom and our youngest daughter." said Count Vance, in a snooty tone.

"Yeah, well what about the good of Leina!? Why don't we just plot against Vinnie and kick his ass and save Heather that way?" shouted Aran. "And what about Amber!? Can't she do anything!?"

"With all due respect, King, Count, Countess, is there not another way we can deal with Sumestris?" said Dylan, in a much more calm tone.

"Well, Dr. Frank, we want to go for the most peaceful solution." said Emma in an indifferent tone.

"Peaceful!? You call this shit peaceful!? You are ruining Leina's life just to keep the peace!? How do you know it's not a godsdamned trap and they won't kill Heather anyways and even kill Leina!? Doesn't anyone ever THINK around here!?" screamed Aran as he began pulling on his hair while blue veins began spreading again.

"Damn it, Aran, you need to chill!" said Dylan as he handed Aran another potion.

"Dylan, it's rather fucking hard to 'chill' right now. It's not like it's Saraiah being forced to marry an asshole, so I can't expect you to understand why I'm upset!" shouted Aran as he snatched the potion and chugged it.

"Ouch, Aran. That's got nothing to do with it…it's because I don't want you to drop dead, you fool. I don't think you realize how bad your case of FP is!" said Dylan as he stormed out of the royal chamber.

"Oh do my ears deceive me?" said Matthias with a snooty laugh. "That freak loves my daughter Leina? Give me a break!" Matthias broke down in laughter.

"It's really not funny, Count. Cut that laughing out this instant!" snapped Cid.

Matthias obeyed, then said, "Well, I still believe that Leina will be better off with Vince, since he's a pure blood Seiya and owns his own business…corrupt or not, at least he's not some piece of trash Dr—"

"Listen to me, you pompous old piece of shit!" shouted Aran as he stormed up to Matthias, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled back his fist to sock him in the face.

Cid quickly intervened and shouted, "That's enough, Aran! Back off! Count, you better stop mouthing off or next time I won't stop him!" Cid glared intensely at the Count after he nearly blurted out what Aran was.

"Oh my heavens darling, are you alright!?" exclaimed Emma as she ran to her husband and began fanning him.

"Dad, I don't understand. Is there nothing you can do? Nothing at all?" said Aran, with a sad expression on his face.

"Son, I've tried everything. There's no time to safely plan an assault before the wedding. I'm so sorry." said Cid, and Aran's heart hit the floor. "Please go to Ravencrow village and get taken care of."

"Yes sir…" said Aran as he slowly walked out of the royal chamber, choking back tears.

"Aran…" came Dylan's voice. He was standing right outside of the chamber. "Aran…I can definitely imagine how upset you are…should we plan on crashing the wedding?"

"I would love to, but I don't wanna get Heather killed…man, this is frustrating!" said Aran as he sniffled and wiped his eyes.

"Well, we need to find a way to secure Heather's safety. That's going to be a tough one." said Dylan.

"Yeah. And what was Matthias about to say before I advanced on him? He said "Piece of trash Dr—". What the hell are they hiding from me? What exactly is wrong with me?"

"Aran, we need to worry about getting your FP treated. Let's get going." Dylan said as he began walking once again.

"Right…" Aran replied, feeling really suspicious. _"What aren't they telling me?"_

* * *

"Ravencrow village? Yeah, I met the boy last year. His name is Tallon. He's nineteen, and pretty cute! Really nice, too. They own a Chocobo farm! He also talks kinda funny. It's all proper and stuff…he never uses contractions!" said Saraiah when Aran told her about their next task. She continued, "but Aran…will you be ok? I mean, that Fazium thing is really scary!"

"Tell me about it…" said Aran, with a melancholy expression.

"Oh…and you heard about Leina, right?" said Saraiah, sympathetically.

"Yeah…I don't want to talk about it. We need to get going." said Aran as he got into Markas's large SUV. The rest all boarded the vehicle and they headed out on their four-hour drive to Mirrassei.

* * *

"So, you must be Leina Vance, the daughter of Count and Countess Matthias and Emma Vance. It's a pleasure." said a tall man with short black hair as he extended his hand towards Leina.

Leina shook his hand and said, "…and you must be Vince Yunari. Good to meet you." _"Hmm…he has the same color hair as Aran…same skin color…he's handsome…but he's not Aran."_ Leina thought to herself as she feigned interest in her suitor.

Vince Yunari was pretty tall, 30 years old, in good shape, and had the same shade of black hair that Aran has, except short. His eyes were deep brown. He was reasonably charming, but he still lacked the natural good heart that Aran has, after all, he is the leader of Sumestris. He was rather arrogant as well. He was definitely a contrast to the passionate, caring man that Aran is, and he was six years Aran's senior and lacked the youthful spirit and optimism that moved Aran to do what he does.

"Leina dear, we will get started on the preparations for the wedding. I believe you will fit into my wedding dress!" said Emma as she took her by the hand.

"Of course, Mother." said Leina.

"Leina, you are making the right choice. You have ensured your sister's safety." said Vince as he kissed Leina on the cheek. His phone chimed, and he glanced down, then rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Alrighty then, I think we have some planning of our own to do, my boy!" said Count Vance as he put his hand on Vince's back and led him out of the royal chamber.

"I'm so sorry, Leina. I wish there was something we could do now…" said Cid with a sympathetic expression.

"So do I, King Cid. Maybe Aran can figure something out…" said Leina, wistfully.

"Come on darling, we need to get started. Let's go home." said Emma as she led Leina out of the royal chamber. Leina and Emma arrived at the Vance's mansion. "Ah, here it is! It should fit you now, we can make adjustments as needed…" said Emma as she took her wedding dress out of her closet. "Honey…what's wrong?" Emma noticed the sad look in her daughter's eyes. "Are you thinking about that…Aran guy?" she said with genuine concern.

"Mom…I understand the circumstances…but I don't love Vince. I imagine that you can understand why?" said Leina.

"I think so…your father can be rather harsh sometimes, for sure. He has his pride but he cares deep down…he never understood humans…and neither did I…until this morning. That young man, loves you, Leina. I think he would do anything for you. I've never seen someone stand up to the king and your father like that before. He is also rather attractive, much more so than Vince. He has great hair."

Leina gave a smile and said, "Yes Mother…I do love…Aran." Leina heaved a sigh, and continued, "but I know what needs to be done. Something isn't right though. There were blue veins on his face. They were there when we were on Valharia as well. I've never seen anything like it. He told me that he had a mass of Fazium in his brain, but it's weird that FP doesn't seem to affect him the way it affects us."

"It's because he's…different. We've told you about him and Ryuden. They aren't ordinary humans."

"Right. Either way, I'm in love with Aran. I've never experienced love before. It's almost scary. But I can never truly live it now. Maybe it's just attraction right now. He makes my heart flutter. But I believe it could have turned into love." Leina closed her eyes and heaved a sigh.

"I understand, darling. I hate this for you. I'm really sorry, about everything. I know it's too little, too late…but I love you with all of my heart, Leina. I really do." said Emma as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I…I love you too, Mom. You can't change the past. Let's try for a better future." The two women hugged, then Leina said, "Well, I guess I better try this on."

* * *

"Are we there yet!?" said Saraiah as she woke up from her nap on Dylan's shoulder.

"Yeah, we're entering Mirrassei now." said Markas as he pointed to the sign.

"Awesome!" said Saraiah.

"Ok, there's the town shopping center. Let's pick up our new weapons and get something to eat!" said Ryuden as he stretched.

"Hey Aran! Wake up! We're here!" yelled Saraiah to Aran, who was asleep in the far back seat of the SUV. "Man, this place is awesome! It's so gorgeous here!"

"Wha- huh? Oh…cool. That was fast." said Aran as he slowly awoke from his nap.

"Nice hair, dude! Hehe!" said Ryuden, pointing at Aran's messy bed head.

"Ha, nothing a hairbrush can't fix…your hair, on the other hand, is ALWAYS messy. Explain that one!" said Aran with a smile as he pulled out a hair brush and fixed his hair.

"It's edgy. Also…are you ever gonna cut that off? I mean…between that long, shiny hair and that pretty face of yours, you seriously look like a butch woman more than a man…hehe!" said Ryuden, laughing. "Gives a whole new meaning to 'you take after your mother'! You guys could be from-the-neck-up twins!"

"Hell no! The ladies love the long hair! Why would I get rid of that? I've had my hair long since I was 16! It got me laid!"

"I heard that, Aran!" Saraiah shouted from a few feet away. "Only by me!"

Aran smiled and shrugged, then said "Besides, at least I don't look like a Final Fantasy reject like you do, Ryuden! Besides, my mother was a lot prettier than I am! I think my jaw is slightly more square!" said Aran as he laughed and lightly jabbed Ryuden in the shoulder.

"Touché…anyways, let's get going. I'm starving!" said Ryuden, shrugging and smiling.

"What the hell is your stomach made out of, Ry!? We are all hungry because ya ate all the snacks on the way here, you pig!" exclaimed Aran as he pointed in Ryuden's face. "You won't be twenty-two forever, that's gonna catch up to ya!"

"Heh, well, I'm a big boy. What can I say?" said Ryuden, smiling and shrugging sheepishly.

"You boys are both adorable AND silly! Three years apart and you two are still the same! It's like old times! I'm starving too! Let's go! Teehee!" said Saraiah as she pranced into the village.

Ryuden placed his arm around Aran and said, "It's great to be back, I love you, man!"

Aran hugged him back and said, "Yeah, you too! I missed ya! But yeah…let's go eat!"

* * *

"Young man, I am afraid your mother's condition has taken a turn for the worse…she may not last the week."

"Oh my gosh…that is horrible news! My magic is just not doing enough for her…Mother…"

"Tallon…what else can we do for her?"

"Dr. Cardinali, there is one thing. There is a medication that Dr. Dylan Frankewicz invented. It is in my book. The only problem is, it requires an expensive ingredient that even WE cannot afford…"

"Tallon, what can we do? Maybe if we go to Prince Leon about this. He has changed a lot since he traveled to Valharia with Princess Saraiah."

"That is true, Doctor, but even he can only do so much, and a week is just not enough time…there is only one thing to do."

"Tallon! You are not thinking…?"

"Doctor, yes. I am going to steal the ingredient."

"But Tallon! With all due respect…you could get in a heap of trouble!"

"Dr. Cardinali, I am rather insulted! I can take care of myself. I would have to get caught to get in trouble anyways. I am not your typical white mage."

"Tallon…I understand. Please be careful."

"I will, Doctor." Tallon put on his hooded white mage robe and headed into town.

* * *

"Welcome to our shop, citizens of Seiyomari! Let me know if you need assistance!" said a friendly older man, who was the shopkeeper.

"We will, thank you sir!" said Saraiah with a smile.

"Whoa, check this out, Markas!" said Ryuden, who was holding a large, strange-looking handgun.

"It looks kinda outdated, but it's rather neat lookin'…let me see that thing." said Markas as he took the gun and began observing it.

Saraiah walked over to them and said, "Ooh…that's a triple barrel gun. It's called Cerberus. I heard of it in our textbooks. Have you not, Markas?"

"Actually yeah. I think this is a replica." said Markas.

"I think so too…the original belonged to some undead dude a hundred years ago. He was a good bit of a hottie too! Kinda looked like you, Aran!" said Saraiah as she turned her attention to Aran, who was holding an unusual looking blade that appeared to have a gun barrel on it.

"Oh…that guy…well, the name Valentine is not in my ancestry, and he's from a different planet in another realm. I guess our resemblance is purely coincidental…hmm…I wonder what Leina would think of this sword. It's some sort of gun blade. Very interesting." said Aran as he observed the blade with a rather somber expression.

"She would think it's too small. How about this one? Holy smokes this is heavy!" said Saraiah as she lifted a really large sword that outweighed her.

"Whoa Saraiah, let me help you with that!" said Aran as he helped her hold up the sword. "Wow…this thing probably weighs more than I do…holy shit!"

Dylan walked over and took the sword, and he seemed able to hold it with relative ease. "Hmm…this sword. It belonged to a mercenary from a hundred years ago…two soldiers before him owned this sword and passed it down." said Dylan after scanning the sword.

"Fascinating, Dylan! How can you hold that so easily?!" exclaimed Saraiah.

"Well…I'm very strong. I'm sure you two could lift it easily as well if you put your mind to it—" said Dylan before Aran cut him off and said, "Hey, I can hold that thing easily too!" he took the sword from Dylan and pointed it out right in front of him. "I was just surprised at how heavy it actually was."

"Anyways, we need to buy our supplies and get going!" interjected Ryuden, who was purchasing an upgraded staff.

"Of course." said Aran as he and the others selected their new weapons and went to the checkout counter.

* * *

 _"Ok…the potion shop is this way…they should have the ingredient."_ Tallon thought to himself as he walked towards the potion shop. He arrived and kept his hood up, so he would not be recognized. He browsed around and then came across the ingredient that he needed: Sylkis greens, which are a food for Chocobos, and they can also restore health and are a key ingredient in the strong potion that Tallon wished to make. _"Ok, here goes nothing."_ He thought to himself as he discreetly attached a smoke bomb under a low shelf. The smoke bomb went off, and Tallon quickly knocked out the shopkeeper, swiped the ingredient, and bolted out of the shop along with a few other people. Among them was the eagle-eyed Saraiah, who saw what happened and called attention to him.

"Somebody stop that boy! The one in the white robe! He laid that smoke bomb! Go GET HIM, ARAN!" she shouted as Aran immediately ran after Tallon, who bolted as soon as Saraiah called him out.

"Get back here you thieving bastard!" Aran shouted as he caught up to Tallon and tackled him. The two guys scuffled on the ground for a minute and Tallon was quickly subdued. The others caught up and Aran sat Tallon on a chair. "Hey you! Wake up! Explain yourself!" Aran yelled as he lightly and repeatedly slapped Tallon in the face to wake him up.

"Ow ow! I am awake! Stop hitting me!" snapped Tallon as he regained consciousness and grabbed Aran by the wrist. He removed his hood, revealing a mulatto boy who had a very attractive and youthful face with big brown eyes, full lips, chin length, layered and neat brown hair, and tan skin.

Aran jerked his hand away and Saraiah interjected, "Tallon? It's you! What the hell is going on here?"

The others all gasped when they heard that this thief was the boy that they sought after. "Princess Saraiah…this is not as bad as it appears to be…" said Tallon as he stood up.

"Well, you need to tell us what's going on." said Saraiah as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Well…my parents have been ill for a long time now, and my mother's condition has taken a turn for the worst, and she is not expected to survive the week…" Tallon took a deep breath, then continued, "Sumestris has control of Mirrassei, therefore the city cannot commission our village like they used to. Prince Leon has little control over this. We are considerably wealthy in comparison…but since Sumestris has vastly reduced our rations, I am unable to afford this ingredient that I need to make the medicine to save my mother's life…so I had no choice but to pinch it…I am deeply sorry, but I cannot just sit by and watch my mother die!" Tallon proceeded to walk away, but Aran stopped him and said, "Look, I completely understand your actions…I would've done the same. We'll help ya out, and I'll go ahead and pay for that ingredient for you."

"Oh…uh, thank you!" said Tallon, his face lighting up. He held out his hand to Aran and said, "I am Tallon Ravencrow."

"Aran Maleigha." came the reply.

"Yes, why yes. I have heard of you, Mister Maleigha."

"Meh, call me Aran. No need to be all formal, ya know?"

"Why yes, of course not, Aran. Anyways, what brings you here?"

"I'll explain after we help your mom. We need to get back to your village now. I'm a nurse and this gentleman is—"

"Doctor Dylan Frankewicz! Yes, it is quite the pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Tallon interrupted Aran as he extended his hand out to Dylan. "I have often read of your works. Quite fascinating, I do say."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Tallon." said Dylan with a warm smile. "Now tell me about this potion. Those are Sylkis greens that you have. That's an ingredient for one of my super potions. I'd be more than happy to concoct the medicine for you."

"You would do that for me? I am eternally grateful to you, Doctor, and you as well, Aran! All of you!" said Tallon as they walked by the potion shop.

Aran walked in and said, "My apologies, my friend over there is off his meds. Here's the cash ya need to cover the Sylkis greens that he snatched."

"Uh…sure. Thank you." said the shopkeeper. "Mr. Ravencrow, next time don't knock me out! I'm getting too old for that!" he grumbled at Tallon, who had a look of immense remorse.

"I am really sorry, Mr. Craine! It was for a really good reason…" the young mage replied, sheepishly.

"It certainly better be! Don't you ever do that again."

"I promise it will not happen again." Tallon said as he and Aran left the shop. "Off of my 'meds'? Is that the best you could do?" he continued to Aran, as he raised his eyebrow.

"Well, it worked. Now hush up and let's get outta here." said Aran as the group headed for Markas's SUV.

 _"Meds? Wow, such atrocious speech…that is the Seiya for you, I guess."_ Tallon thought to himself as he followed the others. "Oh, and thank you, Aran!" he said when he caught up.

* * *

"Ok, this is it. This is the Ravencrow Village." said Tallon to Markas.

"Alrighty then. Thanks, Tallon." said Markas as he parked. The group walked to the house where Dr. Cardinali resided.

"Doctor, I have obtained the greens! Better yet, I have Dylan Frankewicz himself with me! Aran Maleigha is here as well!" Tallon said happily as he entered the house.

"Tallon, that is fantastic news! _The_ Dylan Frankewicz and Aran Maleigha? This is great! How did you find them?" said Dr Cardinali with great enthusiasm.

"Actually, Doc, we caught the kid stealing that ingredient. Lucky for him we're all rather compassionate people. We'll do what we can to help out around here." said Aran as he shook the doctor's hand. "Oh, and these are our friends. The lovely lady is Dr. Frank's girlfriend and my sister, Saraiah."

"Princess Saraiah? It is a pleasure." said Dr. Cardinali as he shook her hand. Ryuden and Markas also introduced themselves. "Markas…one of King Cid's best marksmen…and Ryuden. I am pleased that you have returned. I am aware of past events." said Dr. Cardinali.

"Ok, well we need to get started. Tallon, do you have all of the other ingredients that you need?" said Dylan.

"Yes, I do. Aran, would you kindly fetch some water for me?" said Tallon. Aran nodded and went to complete his task.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" asked Saraiah.

"Well, I could use something to start a fire in this pit." said Tallon.

"Gotcha covered." said Ryuden as he snapped his finger and a fire started in the pit.

"Hey, I wanted to start the fire, you meanie!" Saraiah whined to Ryuden, who simply giggled and shrugged.

"You are a black mage, I presume?" said Tallon, who was rather fascinated by Ryuden's ability.

"Yup. It's pretty darn handy, if you ask me!" said Ryuden. "Wow, you sure are short. How tall are you anyways?" Ryuden continued, as he put his hand on Tallon's head.

Tallon gently brushed his hand away and casually said, "I am five feet and seven inches…that is not that short. You, my friend, are a giant. Are those two-inch boots really necessary? How tall are you, exactly?"

"Oh, just six-five. Six-seven in these boots." Ryuden casually replied.

"Just six-five? You are a funny bloke, Ryuden. However, I have work to do." Tallon said as he walked over to Dylan, Aran, and Dr. Cardinali.

Saraiah walked over to Ryuden and said, "Let's leave them to their work. Markas, are you coming too?"

"Yeah. Not much I can do 'round here." said Markas. The three of them left the house and went to find something to do.

"Wow, it sure is warm around 'ere. Phew! I'm WAY overdressed!" said Ryuden as he took off his cape and overshirt, revealing a form-fitting black tank top and rather nicely toned arms and chest, which Saraiah was very quick to notice.

 _"Hoo boy it just got hotter out here…he's got a nice butt too…just…damn. His face is just…so striking...his body is just…oh Gods…he's hot as hell. I wonder if he's overcompensating for something. No one is THAT perfect. Oh good grief he's your brother too, Saraiah…and he's Renaiya's boyfriend…you have a boyfriend too, Saraiah, you hussy…Dylan is super hot too…I really need to see Dylan naked soon…"_ Saraiah thought to herself, since she seemed to like what she saw when Ryuden removed some of his clothing, just a bit more than she should have. _"But wooooow. I'd give anything to feel that solid body against me and…oh Gods. What am I thinking!?"_ She felt her face practically light on fire and her heart began racing. She shuffled over to the fountain as Ryuden walked back into the house to leave his belongings, and Saraiah splashed water from the fountain on her face.

"You a'ight, Saraiah?" said Markas.

"Um…of course I am! It's just really hot out here!" she said, blushing.

"No kiddin', I'm sweatin' out here. Here comes Ryuden. Let's go get some iced coffee." said Markas.

"Great idea. Iced coffee would be super right now…" Saraiah replied, cheeks still lightly dusted with pink. She heaved a sigh and walked ahead, making certain to avoid any chance of looking Ryuden in the eye.

The three headed for the coffee shop. They sat down at the table, after Ryuden politely pulled out a chair for Saraiah. "For you, Milady!"

"T-Thanks!" Saraiah stammered as she quickly sat down, still trying to avoid eye contact.

"Of course!" Ryuden sat down, then continued, "Dr. Cardinali…that name. It's strikingly familiar."

"Really? How so?" said Saraiah, slowly looking up at him.

"A Mirrasseinian woman traveled to the village of Ellanore. She fell in love with a human, Kaine Lenore. That's Ryuden's father. Her name was Lana Cardinali, and she became Lana Lenore. That's what I was told by King Cid." said Markas.

"That's right! Her name was Cardinali. She was the same age as Aran's mum, I think. They were friends. That's how she and my father met. Lucretia Maleigha was Lucretia Lenore. She was my father's younger sister, therefore, my aunt." said Ryuden as he put his cup down, rested his elbow on the table and leaned over on his hand.

"Lana was twenty-two when she died…same age as Lucretia. That was twenty years ago…she woulda been forty-two now. Dr. Cardinali appears kinda young, but Mirrasseinians don't age as fast as humans and the Seiya do. He has jet black hair and the same green eyes." said Markas, as he folded his arms across his chest.

Saraiah said, "So…you think that doctor is related to Ryuden? I mean, he sure is good-looking for his age!"

"I have to talk with 'im. I must know if I have another living blood relative!" said Ryuden. He quickly chugged his coffee and stood up. The other two did the same and they headed back to the doctor's house.

* * *

"Your highness, there seems to be a problem." Sam said as she entered Cid's office. "I haven't heard from Amber all day. She was supposed to report to me a few hours ago."

"Oh dear, that's not good. All of Team Armasa are in Mirrassei for the evening." Cid replied, with a look of worry. "I just have to have Leina investigate if possible."

"All of my hunters are also otherwise preoccupied. I hope she's alright and is just unable to communicate for the time being." Sam said as she took off her glasses and rubbed her temples. "Ugh, it's been so stressful between running the Guild and being a doctor. At least Charlie is able to pick up the slack whenever I need to take care of my hunters."

"I know how that is, between running the kingdom and worrying about those kids. I know Team Armasa is very competent, but…after everything that's happened, I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop." said Cid, with understanding.

Sam's phone then chimed. "It's Amber!" she exclaimed with relief as she read the message. _"So sorry I haven't reported yet, been very busy with the preparations. All is well! Will update as soon as I find out anything new."_ She let out a sigh of relief, and said, "Thank the Gods. Amber was just held up for a bit."

* * *

"That text will throw them off of us, Melissa." Vince said after he used Amber's phone to send a text to Sam. She had been periodically sending Amber texts, asking for status reports.

"So what are we supposed to do? She saw me, Vinnie. She has to die!" Melissa said as she glanced over at Amber, who was lying unconscious in a hospital bed.

"Mel, that would be an act of war. She's valuable to Seiyomari, I think we can torture some information out of her when she wakes up." Vince looked Amber over, at her bruised, banged-up body. "That could be a while though…"

"I'm sorry, I got a bit carried away! That bitch wouldn't stop screaming!" Melissa replied, sounding a good bit exasperated.

"So you repeatedly bashed her head into the computer. You've got to control that temper, Mellie."

"Mommy, I is hungry!" A little boy walked in, stomach growling.

"Ugh, what the fuck are you doing up here, brat? I told you wait!" Melissa snapped at the boy, who winced and turned his gaze away.

"But Mommy, I so hungry!"

"Godsdamnit I told you to wait!" Melissa shouted as she belted the boy in the cheek, then pushed him to the floor. "You fucking piece of shit demon boy! Go get something out of the trash if you want it bad enough!"

"I…so sorry Mommy…" the little boy whimpered as he began crying.

"Get out of here!" She screamed at the kid as she jerked him up by the arm and dragged him to another room.

Vince just looked on with indifference, then said to himself, "Well, I have more important things to take care of. Like wedding and bedding that Dragonsoul's love interest. He'll play right into our trap. I also need to deal with her father."


	8. Chapter 8

**_"Vince will not take her from me. Not while my heart is still beating!"_**

* * *

"That boy…the really tall one…there is something familiar about him." said Dr. Cardinali as he chopped the greens.

"Oh, Ryuden? That's my cousin. I'm completely human, but he's half Mirrasseinian." said Aran as he measured a liquid ingredient.

"Is he now? Who were his parents?" asked the doctor.

"His father, my uncle, was human. His name was Kaine Lenore, my mother's brother. Ryuden's mother, was Lana Lenore." said Aran.

"Lana? That was my daughter's name! She died tragically twenty years ago! She married Kaine Lenore…she used to be Cardinali! I knew they had a son, but he was gone when I arrived at the village after I learned of Lana's death…I assumed that he was killed as well!" exclaimed Dr. Cardinali.

"Oh…Ryuden and I went by Raynes most of our lives. It was on our eighteenth birthdays that we went back to our birth names. He's been Lenore for the past four years. He's twenty-two years old now, two years younger than I am." said Aran.

"Of course…he was about two years old when Lana died…that has got to be him. He is my grandson! I had a feeling when he introduced himself as Ryuden Lenore…it has been so long! He looks a lot like me. His accent too. He has a natural Mirrassei accent, although quite a bit lighter than those of us who grew up here. Lana was close friends with a woman named Lucretia Lenore…Lucretia married very young, at age seventeen, to a man named Seamus Maleigha. He was twenty at the time and went by James. They had a son just a year later, which was apparently you, Aran."

"My parents…they died the same way that Lana and Kaine did. Ryuden and I were the only survivors…" said Aran, somberly.

"I have heard of Lucretia. What a woman she was. I heard that she was kidnapped and experimented on. She was with child at the time…she was a tough woman and managed to escape while Margine was absent. Several guards in the lab were shot dead and/or beaten to death. Even dismembered…" said Dr. Cardinali.

"So…it would seem I come by it honestly…like mother like son. She had pure Fazium injected into her placenta when she was a few weeks pregnant with me. That's the reason we came to Ravencrow village, actually." said Aran.

"Really? Explain your problem to me." said the doctor.

"Dr. Cardinali, I have the images from Aran's brain scan. He has a mass in his brain and the Fazium is poisoning him." said Dylan as he handed Dr. Cardinali an envelope.

"Hmm…yes, I see. It is rather invasive too. You said that a seal was performed on him twenty years ago and it has worn off?" said the doctor.

"Yes. It was a powerful seal, and King Cid is the only white mage of that caliber left in Seiyomari. He told us about Tallon, that maybe he could help him." said Dylan.

"The Fazium seal? I have learned of such a spell. Mine is nowhere near as strong, but it is far less costly." said Tallon as he stirred the brew in the cauldron.

"Is that true Tallon? You can do a seal on me?" exclaimed Aran as he swiftly walked over to Tallon and put his hands on his shoulders.

"Yes, Aran, I can. It will not last as long though. Maybe five years." said Tallon, with a modest tone as he shrugged.

"So what? That's five years that I do not have right now! At this rate I barely have five hours!" exclaimed Aran.

"Aran…those blue veins. We need to do the seal as soon as possible." said Tallon as he noticed blue veins slowly spreading onto Aran's face.

"Yes, the sooner the better. I will administer this medicine to your parents, Tallon. I hate to say it, but they have longer than Aran at this point." said Dylan as he ladled the mixture into bowls.

"That is true. You go take care of my parents, and Dr. Cardinali and I will perform the seal." said Tallon as he had Aran kneel and remove his shirt. Dylan left to complete his task, and Tallon said to Aran, "Ok Aran, this is going to burn a little bit. Bear with me." Aran nodded, and Dr. Cardinali finished lighting the ritual candles, then kneeled in front of Aran and placed his hands on Aran's temples.

Tallon kneeled behind Aran and placed his hands on Aran's shoulders. "Ok Aran, I am about to begin. This will hurt, but it should not take long." said Tallon.

"Ok." said Aran as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Tallon and Dr. Cardinali began chanting in Mirrasseinian, and it felt like fire was coursing through Aran's veins. He let out a blood-curdling scream as he struggled to remain still.

Tallon and the doctor held him still while Tallon shouted, "You have to hold still! It is almost over!"

Aran loudly grunted and panted and tensed up until the seal had been performed. Aran collapsed on the floor while taking quick, short breaths. "So, how are you feeling?" asked Dr. Cardinali as he helped Aran sit up.

Aran took a deep breath and said, "Well…now I do feel better, but I felt like absolute hell during the ritual! Man, that was some painful shit right there! Can't believe I went through that as a small child…"

"Well, then the seal was successful! You sure are bloody tough, Aran!" said Tallon with a smile.

"If ya say so…" said Aran, as he wiped his sweaty brow with a towel that Tallon handed to him.

"Oh my gods! What was all of that screaming?" exclaimed Saraiah as she burst into the house, followed by Ryuden and Markas.

"Oh…that was me. That seal hurt like a sonovabitch…" said Aran as he stood up.

"So they were able to do it? That's great!" Saraiah excitedly exclaimed as she gave her shirtless brother a hug.

 _"Oh her cursed shirt…"_ Aran thought to himself as he hugged her back.

 _"My goodness he's as buff as he was when we…Ok Saraiah you are a whore in your mind! Knock it off!"_ Saraiah thought to herself after she "accidentally" brushed her hand down his chest and abs.

"Saraiah…what was that? Quit teasing me. I'm pretty certain that Dylan would not approve of that…" said Aran after Saraiah did what she did. He found it rather arousing and infuriating at the same time.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Aran…I guess I'm a little antsy." said Saraiah as she quickly withdrew her hand.

"I see…you and Dylan have not…?" said Aran, calmly.

"Not yet. It's driving me nuts. I think it's been long enough though…" said Saraiah as her face turned red.

"Right…maybe you should do something before ya lose your mind and pin one of us down…" said Aran as he put his shirt back on. _"Ha…if only. Dylan is one lucky bastard…and I DO know what I'm missing!"_ Aran thought to himself as he let out a big sigh. He took notice of Ryuden in his tank top. _"And that's why she's antsy. He sure is fit."_

 _"Too bad she is taken, I would like to have a go with her myself…hehe."_ Tallon thought to himself as he gave a devious grin.

"Tallon, what's so funny?" Saraiah asked as she noticed his grin.

"Oh nothing. Nothing at all." he said, still grinning.

"Tallon…I have a boyfriend. Can't help you there." Saraiah said as she smiled and shook her head.

"You are perceptive. Forgive me for my crush, dear Princess." he said as he shrugged, smile unwavering.

"Awkward…" said Ryuden somewhat quietly to Markas, while trying not to blush. The thoughts that popped into his mind were best left unsaid.

"No kidding." said Markas.

"WELL! On a different note, I would like to have a talk with Ryuden. You lot are welcome to stay." said Dr. Cardinali in an attempt to break the awkward silence and change the subject.

"Yes, I would like to talk with you as well. My mother's name was Lana Cardinali before she married my father Kaine Lenore. What is your name? Are you related to her?" said Ryuden as he sat across from the doctor.

"My name is Ryuhan, and yes, Lana Cardinali is my daughter. Ryuden, you were named after me. I am your grandfather." said Dr. Cardinali, or rather, Ryuhan.

"I see…another blood relative besides Aran. I'm ecstatic to meet you…Grandpa." said Ryuden as he went to give his grandfather a hug.

"So…tell me about yourself, Ryuden." said Ryuhan, with a smile. Ryuden told him about his childhood and Renaiya, as well as all of the events that led up to this day.

"Wow…so you have a girlfriend who was taken by Margine…the same monstrous woman who murdered Lana…" said Ryuhan with a somber expression.

"Ryuhan…I know just how it is to lose a child…it may not be considered the same by some, but I lost my son…he was still growing within my fiancée when she was killed. Sumestris killed her. She died in an explosion caused by them." said Aran as he placed his hand on Ryuhan's shoulder.

"Young lad, a child is a child, no matter what stage of life they are in. Losing one is tragic, whether they were unborn or not." said Ryuhan, empathetically.

Just then, Dylan returned and seemed rather pleased. "We did it, you guys! Your parents are recovering quickly!" he said happily.

"Oh my gosh that is wonderful news! Thank you so much, Dylan!" said Tallon as he shed tears of joy. The others all cheered and hugged each other.

"Wanna go see them?" asked Dylan with a smile.

"Absolutely! Come on, you lot! Let us go meet my mum and dad!" Everyone cheered and hugged, then they went to go see Tallon's parents.

"Mum! Dad! These are the people who helped us!" Tallon introduced all of the Armasa members, other than Dylan who had already introduced himself when he administered the medicine.

"It is an honor to meet all of you! Each and every one of you has helped us! My name is Aveien, Aveien Ravencrow, and this is my wife Robyn."

Robyn smiled and said, "Yes, thank you all so much! I thought I was a goner for sure! But it would seem that I will live to see another few years or so, at least!" Tallon ran over and hugged both of his parents.

Saraiah embraced her boyfriend and said, "Dylan, you saved their lives…I love you more and more every second!"

Dylan smiled and said, "I love you too, Saraiah, and I couldn't have done it as well without Aran, Tallon, and Ryuhan!"

"Hey, it was a team effort. So, Tallon…what are your future plans?" said Aran.

"Well, Aran, I need to devise a plan to stop Sumestris. They have been making our lives so rough for the past few years." said Tallon, as he looked outside through the window of his parent's bedroom.

"Tell me about it. They attacked our city three years ago…and now they wanna call a truce. That sounds great, but the leader wants to marry Leina Vance in return for it. My Leina…" said Aran as he sat down on the edge of the bed while his expression and tone grew somber and wistful.

"Leina…is she your girlfriend, Aran?" asked Tallon, sympathetically.

"Well…no. She could've been, though, I suppose…I…well…loved her…I still love her." said Aran, followed by a big sigh as he went scarlet after his admission.

"Well…why can you not stop her from going through with it?" asked Tallon with curiosity.

"Because, those bastards will kill her sister if she doesn't!" said Aran, somewhat angrily.

"Are you kidding me? Vance…Bloody hell! Heather Vance? They are going to kill Heather if Leina does not marry Vince Yunari? That is…bullshit!" exclaimed Tallon as he clenched his fists. Tallon's parents gasped at the uncharacteristic curse word that he used.

"Tallon…you know Heather?" asked Saraiah as she placed her hands on his shoulders to try and calm him down.

"Yes, I met her during my time at the Seiyomari Academy. She is just a year younger than I am. I…like her." Tallon took a deep breath before he admitted to liking Heather. "We have to stop that wedding, and save Heather! We cannot let anything happen to the Vance sisters…mine or yours, Aran!"

"Tallon…what can we do?" said Aran, in a somewhat hopeless tone.

"Aran…I am a white mage and a summoner. I think my abilities will be invaluable for this task. I will travel back to Seiyomari with you. We can discuss the details tonight and head out mid-morning tomorrow. When is the wedding?" said Tallon, with a hopeful smile.

"Tomorrow evening…at 6pm. It's at the Seiyomari Chapel." said Saraiah.

"Well…it looks like the Vance-Yunari wedding will have some uninvited guests." said Aran as he punched his palm. "Vince will not take her from me. Not while my heart is still beating!"

"That's the spirit, Aran! Woohoo! We'll go save Leina AND Heather!" exclaimed Saraiah, excitedly.

"Anyways, it is getting kind of late…we need to have dinner! How about we go out?" said Tallon, in an upbeat tone.

"Sounds good to me, let's all go!" said Aran, his mood having vastly improved. Everyone filed out of the house and headed for the local restaurant.

Tallon was walking ahead, leading everyone, then Ryuden decided to catch up to him and pick on him a little bit. "Hey shorty! Keep your guard u-WHOOOOAAAAAHH! UGH!"

"Holy smokes, Ry are you ok!?" exclaimed Saraiah as she ran over to Ryuden. Aran was laughing uncontrollably while the other Armasa members were speechless, trying to resist laughing at Ryuden, and Tallon's parents and Ryuhan showed a lack of surprise at what just transpired.

Ryuden had run up to Tallon in an attempt to tackle him, and Tallon immediately whipped around, grabbed Ryuden's arm, and flipped him over his shoulders.

Tallon gently put his foot on Ryuden's chest and said, "Us little guys always have our guard up. Remember that." He then extended his hand and helped Ryuden to his feet.

"Whoa, nice one, Tallon!" Ryuden said, still seeming rather surprised from being decked by someone half his size. "Guess I better brush up on my physical combat skills." He grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

They continued walking when Aran zipped up behind Tallon and picked him up, draped him over his shoulder and began running towards the restaurant as he yelled "That was good Tallon, but I'm the top brawler around here! Hehehehe!"

"Not fair! Put me down!" yelled Tallon while obviously trying not to laugh.

* * *

"Man, that really hit the spot! The meal was fantastic!" said Saraiah as she stretched and patted her stomach. "Tallon, put that wallet away! It's on me tonight!" Saraiah exclaimed when she saw Tallon trying to pay the bill.

"But Princess, I owe you guys for-" Tallon tried to protest when Aran cut him off and said, "Tallon, do NOT argue with her. Trust me on that one! She's the most stubborn person in the universe…"

Tallon cut Aran off and said, "Well SO am I! I am paying for this din-hey…quit that! Oh, now you are fighting dirty, Princess! Fine, you can pay it…" he relinquished his chance to pay and sat down, blushing.

"Ooooh…she used the eyes on you! I told ya man…she fights dirty!" said Aran, nudging Tallon with his elbow. _"Hnnnnggg…she used to do that to me all of the time…she'd give me this insanely adorable look with those big blue eyes when we were teenagers and when we were together to manipulate me…it rendered me helpless all the time. She's so sexy…"_ Aran thought to himself as he adjusted himself and crossed his legs.

"She sure does…" said Tallon as he took a sip of his drink.

"Nice one, Saraiah! Way to use your good looks against him…you are so damn hot!" said Dylan as he kissed Saraiah.

Ryuden rolled his eyes and sipped coffee. _"And she could get me with it too…I am ashamed…"_

"Man, get a room, you two!" said Markas from the other end of the table.

"You know what, Markas!? I think we will! Hehehe!" yelled Saraiah playfully as she stuck her tongue out at him. Dylan's heart practically stopped for a few seconds and then began racing. He quickly took a gulp of his water.

 _"I wish Leina were here…the things I would do to that woman…hehehe…"_ Aran thought to himself with a crooked smile.

"Well…" said Robyn, "speaking of rooms, we need to figure out sleeping arrangements! We have a spare bedroom with two twin beds, Tallon can sleep in his own room, and we have a couch."

"I have a few guest rooms, as well as a couch." said Ryuhan.

"Well, I'll crash on the couch at y'all's place." said Markas to Robyn.

"Aight, then me and Ryuden will take the twin beds in the guest room. That ok, Ry?" said Aran.

Ryuden nodded and said, "Sure."

"Well…I guess Dyl and I will stay with Dr. Cardinali, then!" said Saraiah. Saraiah paid for the meal and everyone went to their respective domiciles.

* * *

"Ok…so…I guess I'll take the couch and you can have the bed, since you're so tall!" said Saraiah to Dylan after they finished their leisurely conversation with Ryuhan. "Or I could sleep in one of the other rooms!"

"Well, it is up to you kids. As for me, I am off to bed. Goodnight!" said Ryuhan as he turned to go to his bedroom.

"Goodnight, Ryuhan!" said Dylan and Saraiah. Ryuhan left and Dylan and Saraiah began unpacking their night clothes and toiletries, and then they sat on the couch in the dim light and sipped wine.

"Dylan…what you did today…that was so selfless of you. You really do care so much about people, don't you?" said Saraiah, sweetly.

"Yeah, I do. I don't like to see good people suffer. I can only imagine what Aran and Ryuden are dealing with right now…especially Ryuden. Sumestris is a tough bunch, but they aren't Margine. We will likely get Leina back, but Renaiya…that will be way more complicated." said Dylan, somberly.

"Dylan, I hope we can find Renaiya as well, and hopefully by then we will be strong enough to save her. Ryuden seems happy on the outside, but in his eyes, he is still in absolute anguish…not to mention that Aran is still grieving Serileine and their son. He seemed to be getting over it and had fallen for Leina, but then he finds out that she is getting married to someone else…Dylan, my heart breaks in two for them. I couldn't imagine losing you." Saraiah cried softly as she leaned over on Dylan's shoulder. "Leina…of all of them, I couldn't imagine being in her position right now. She loves Aran with all of her heart and she has to marry an emotionless jackass that only sees her as fresh meat and a trophy wife…she has no idea of what Tallon is planning…or that he is coming back with us…" Saraiah paused, and a single tear ran down her cheek. "And I hope Amber is alright."

Dylan wiped it away and stroked her hair, placing it behind her ear. He then placed his hand on her shoulder and held her close to him, then said, "Saraiah, you have such a loving heart. You have to be the most passionate woman I know. As for Leina, I really hope we can get her back, and eventually Renaiya, and reunite them with Aran and Ryuden. I care about both of those guys. I care about Leina and Renaiya too. It makes me sick to think of not having you around. I feel terrible for those guys. Saraiah, I love you so damn much. I just can't describe how much I just…love you." A tear streamed down his face, and he touched Saraiah's cheek, then tucked her hair behind her other ear.

"I love you too, Dylan…don't ever leave me." she said as she reached up and stroked his short, thick, dark hair and gazed into his dark hazel eyes.

"Baby, I won't. I'll do everything I can to be with you as long as possible." came Dylan's reply as he gave her a warm smile.

"You are so handsome. You have beautiful eyes." she said as she traced her fingers down his neck, and he let out a shudder as his pouty lips curved into a sexy, crooked smile. _"Oh my gods he is so sexy…this is it. I'm gonna do it!"_ Saraiah thought to herself as she suggestively bit her bottom lip. "You know, Dylan, I hate sleeping on couches, and I don't expect you to sleep here either…" she said as she gave him a sultry glance that sent chills down his back.

Dylan's heart was in his throat and racing. He took a deep breath and said, "You know, I'm sure there is room in that bed for two…"

Saraiah stood up, gave a suggestive "come hither" motion with her finger as she bit her bottom lip again and looked at him with bedroom eyes. Then she walked up the stairs, delicately swaying her hips.

"I'm right behind you, baby!" Dylan said with excitement as he made haste up the stairs behind her. He caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, and leaned over to kiss her neck and jawline.

"Oooh!" Saraiah purred as she turned around and took him by the hands, pulling him into the bedroom.

Dylan lifted her up and gently laid her down on the bed, where he lifted her shirt slightly and began softly kissing her toned tummy, eliciting soft moans of pleasure from her.

"Dylan…oh my~" Saraiah felt herself blush, and she reached down and stroked his hair. "Dylan…I'm ready to take this all the way."

"Yes!" he replied with delight as he slowly slipped off her shorts and panties, and traced his fingers down the inside of her thighs, before he began gently touching her between her legs.

"Do you want to taste me?" she asked, feeling herself begin to tingle with pleasure from the touch of Dylan's fingertips.

Dylan did not speak, but merely looked up at her and smiled, before migrating his mouth right to her sweet spots.

"Oooh…wow…oh, not there just yet…" Saraiah said between moans, sweetly letting him know that one spot was slightly oversensitive at the moment. After a several moments, things began to feel really good for her, as she felt Dylan's silky tongue sweep and glide over her swollen spots. "Oh Gods, Dyl keep that up right there! Oh Goooooods…" Saraiah moaned and panted as she threw her head back, feeling waves of pleasure radiate between her legs and pulsate for a moment. "Wow…that was amazing!" She said after the sensations finally tapered off. "I haven't had one of those in a few years! Well…not from another man, at least!"

Dylan giggled and smiled, then said, "That was so hot, Saraiah! I'm glad I could do that for you! But um…I may need some help from you now…" he stood up and dropped his pants, revealing that he too enjoyed what he did.

"Whoa." Saraiah said, taking in the sight. "That's…pretty big. But not too big."

"Haha well I suppose I'm glad you aren't disappointed!" Dylan replied as he laughed. "I do need to go easy at first. However, it's been some time for me as well, and I'm worried I'll…finish too soon…"

"Hey, you tasted me, let me taste you!" Saraiah said, suggestively as she sat on the edge of the bed, and gently gripped him and slid her hand rhythmically over his length, before taking him into her mouth.

"S-Saraiah…whoa…holy shit…" Dylan gasped as he already felt his legs tense up and a tingling sensation shot from his spine and right into her mouth.

"Mmm whoa!" Saraiah exclaimed with surprise when she felt his pleasure hit the back of her throat, and she pulled away, the rest of it winding up on her top. "Um…that tasted a bit weird!" she said as she laughed, for she wasn't expecting it quite so soon.

"Yeah…I guess I was a bit excited! Good thing I didn't just enter you right away!" Dylan said as he leaned over and kissed her. "Let's get that top off of you!"

"Wait…" Saraiah placed her hands over Dylan's when they began to lift her shirt.

"What's wrong?"

"I just…well…Dylan, I have…a scar on my chest that I'm self-conscious about…"

"So? You think it would turn me off?" Dylan said sweetly as he touched her cheek.

"I guess not, but you know…" Saraiah closed her eyes for a moment, and slowly removed her top.

"Wow. I just see amazing boobs!" Dylan said as he stared wide-eyed at her medium-sized, round, full, perky breasts. "Oh, there's that scar. It's not so bad. Heart surgery?" he asked as he gently fondled her.

"Yeah. I'll tell you about that later, though. For now, I just want to get it on!" she said as she pulled him in close to her and kissed him deeply, then she started removing his shirt, revealing a fairly toned physique, with a little bit of hair on his chest and stomach.

"Haha, I'm totally alright with that!" Dylan replied with a big smile as he began gently touching her between the legs again. After a few minutes passed, Saraiah was almost begging for him.

"Please, Dylan. Stop teasing me!" she pleaded as she gripped him once more and guided it into her. "Ohhh…" she inhaled deeply for a moment, to get used to his fullness. She remembers Aran's size as well, but it had been a few years since they've been together like this.

"Damn, you're tight!" Dylan said lustfully as he began gently giving her shallow strokes.

"Sorry, I guess I'm a bit nervous!" Saraiah gasped and moaned softly, and gripped his butt to take him in deeper, rocking her hips as she did so.

"There's no need to be." Dylan was in heaven, feeling how tight and wet she was, but he could also sense something else. _"This feels amazing…but that scar she has was put there for a reason. I sense an aeon stone within her. But that can wait!"_

* * *

"Aran…hey, Aran…" Leina's soft voice was heard. Aran opened his eyes to see the fair maiden that he loves so dearly. She was wearing a sheer, green silk gown that barely covered her hips and she had on matching sheer bikini underwear, her light blonde hair falling just above her slight bust. "Aran…I escaped from Vince…I found you here. I'm tired of hiding how I feel about you."

"Leina…I feel the same way…I'm so glad you have come back to me. I love you, Leina." said Aran as Leina reached out and took his hand.

"I love you too, Aran." she said as she suddenly discarded the negligee to the floor.

 _"Holy shit…am I dreaming!?"_ Aran thought to himself as Leina leaned over and pressed her lips to his. He slid his arms around her bare waist and pulled her in close to him. He deepened the kiss and Leina inhaled deeply through her nose. Aran adjusted the covers to allow Leina underneath, and he pulled her in close to his body and kissed her again, so deeply. _"This seems impossible…but it feels so real. Could this just be a dream?"_ he thought to himself as he felt her place her leg around him and he felt a jolt of pleasure race up his spine.

* * *

 _"What the…Aran…he's making a lot of noise over there…he could be having a nightmare again."_ Ryuden thought to himself as he laid awake in his bed, unable to sleep from thinking about Renaiya, in a number of ways other than just worry. He often reminisced about time spent together, whether relaxing by the river, enjoying a good meal, or making love while the moonlight peeked in through their bedroom window. His thoughts sometimes drifted to Saraiah, whom he was growing fonder of every day. He found himself highly confused. _"Well of course I love Saraiah. She's pretty much my little, older sister. She's beautiful though. It's ok to find someone attractive, right? I just care a lot about her. Dylan had better take good care of her or he'll answer to me…if Aran or Amber don't get to him first."_

"Ohhh…Oh shit…OHHHHHH!" Ryuden heard loud moans coming from Aran as he watched him toss and turn. "Leina…" Aran said in his sleep again. _"Oh shit, he must be having a nightmare about Leina…I better wake him up."_

* * *

"Oh Aran…that was so amazing…Let's go again…" said Leina as she rested her head on his shoulder. Suddenly Leina sat up, grabbed him by the shoulders and began shaking him, saying, "Aran! ARAN! Wake up!"

"Huh? Leina, I AM up!" said Aran, confused. Suddenly Ryuden's voice cut through the dream and Aran awoke to see his cousin shaking him. "Aran! You seemed to be having another nightmare…" said Ryuden as he wiped Aran's sweaty brow with a towel.

"Dumbass…I wasn't having a nightmare…now I am. Do you mind!?" snapped Aran, the question in the statement referring to where Ryuden's hand was absentmindedly resting.

"Oh shit…GROSS!" yelled Ryuden as he realized that his hand was resting on Aran's blanket-covered anatomy, which was apparently not his knee. He jumped right up and began frantically rubbing his hand against his thigh, as if trying to remove "cooties." "I'm going to wash my hand…a hundred times and then some!" he exclaimed as he went into the adjacent bathroom. "I guess you were having one of… _those_ dreams, weren't you!" said Ryuden as he frantically rubbed his hands together under the running water.

"Yes, I was having a rather vivid, _good_ dream about Leina until you got the genius idea to wake me up! I could kill you, Ry!" said Aran in an exasperated tone as he slid his boxer shorts on under his blanket.

"I'm sorry man, I really thought you were having a nightmare… considering everything that's going on." said Ryuden as he dried his hands off.

"Well, I suppose you're right. I guess it bothers me because that may be the only way we can be together…in my dreams. Literally. I hope Tallon's plan works. Even if I wasn't in love with Leina, that situation still sucks. Hmm…" said Aran as he sat on the edge of his bed and rested his chin on his hand.

Ryuden came out of the bathroom and sat on his bed and began thinking out loud. "Renaiya…I really try to keep the faith about getting her back, but sometimes I wonder if it's even possible. I refuse to fall in love again…knowing she is out there somewhere. She is the only woman who understood me and looked past my shyness…and she's so beautiful." Ryuden heaved a sigh and drew his knees up to his chest.

"Man, Ryuden. I can imagine how much you miss her…I've already lost Serileine and I may lose Leina too. Just as we are planning to save Leina tomorrow, or rather, tonight, we can plot to get Renaiya back as well. We need to make sure we are strong enough, though. There's no point if we don't stand a chance against Margine…and her monster." said Aran as he crossed his legs Indian-style on his bed.

"Yeah, you're right. I wish I had listened three years ago…we would be much closer to finding her. Gods I'm such an idiot…" said Ryuden as he laid back on his pillows and draped his arm over his eyes.

"No, you _were_ an idiot. It's not too late…Renaiya said in her video message to Cid that she's remained unharmed and comfortable for the past few years. I think she's too useful for them to kill her, because of her powers." said Aran as he put on a t-shirt and stood up.

"They damn well better not lay a hand on her…" said Ryuden as he clenched his fist. "On a much different note, Aran…what the hell are you doing sleeping naked when another dude is sleeping in the same room? I mean, seriously! What the hell is wrong with you!?" said Ryuden as he grabbed Aran's shoulders and gently rattled him.

Aran backed away and said, "It's much more comfortable that way…and boxer shorts are not the most comfortable thing to wear when I'm prone to rather _…sensuous_ dreams. Don't judge me." Ryuden rolled his eyes and sighed, and Aran continued, "Anyways, want a beer? I think we could both use a drink or two. It's midnight-thirty. We still have all night to get some sleep."

"Sure. I'll just come down with you." said Ryuden as he followed Aran downstairs. "Wow, Marky is passed out…my Aeons he snores loud!" he said as the two raven-haired cousins walked by the couch that Markas was fast asleep on.

"No kidding…hehe. We better leave him alone though. People think I'M a grouch when I don't get a lot of sleep." said Aran as he and Ryuden grabbed a few beers out of the fridge and headed back upstairs.

* * *

 _8:00 am, same day._ "Hmm…" Saraiah let out a sigh as she awoke. She felt the warmth of Dylan's body next to hers, and could feel his steady heartbeat as she rested her head on his shoulder. His arm was underneath her, wrapped around her waist while his other arm was rested on her hip. Her arm was draped across his chest and her body was close to his. _"Wow…that was the best night of my life…what a man."_ Saraiah thought to herself as she caressed his chest and kissed him on the lips.

Dylan inhaled deeply and let out a light groan, then he woke up and held Saraiah close to him and softly said, "Oh, hey!" and kissed her back. She gave a gentle smile as she slipped the tip of her tongue between his lips for another deep kiss.

Suddenly she pulled away and said, "Oh my goodness, morning breath! We both should brush our teeth! I'm so embarrassed…" she said as she walked into the bathroom.

Dylan just chuckled lightly and followed suit. They quickly brushed their teeth when Dylan took notice of the tub and shower. "Saraiah, that tub is a good size, and I'm all for saving water in someone else's house…interested?" he said, smiling.

"Absolutely." she said as she ran her fingers down Dylan's chest, causing him to shudder. He leaned forward and gave her a quick, sensual kiss, then turned towards the tub and ran the water.

* * *

 _9:00 am, same day._ "Hey, Aran, Ryuden, time to wake up!" said Tallon as he walked into the room where the cousins were sleeping. There were empty beer bottles everywhere, and Ryuden was sitting up against his bed, snoring, while Aran was face down on his bed, facing towards the foot board. He was fast asleep as well. "HEY! Are you two blokes DRUNK? Get up you bloody fools!" yelled Tallon as he turned on the lights and threw the drapes open.

"Dude…you don't have to yell…" grumbled Ryuden as he slowly awoke. "Whoa, bright…" he said as he shielded his eyes.

"Oh stop complaining and get up! Breakfast is ready! Even Saraiah, Dylan, and Ryuhan are here already!" yelled Tallon as he pulled Ryuden to his feet.

"Aran! Aran! Wake up!" he yelled again as he shook Aran awake.

"Oh shut up, Tallon…I'm trying to sleep." Aran grumbled as he pulled the blanket over his head.

"Damn it Aran, get up!" Tallon shouted as he yanked the covers off of Aran.

Aran was actually dressed this time, but rather irritated. "Asshole…give those back!" he shouted as Tallon left the room with the blankets. Aran grumbled and conceded as he reluctantly got up and looked in the mirror. "Holy shit…my hair is atrocious…" he said to himself as he reached for a brush and attempted to tame his mane that looked like a black and red rat's nest.

* * *

 _5:00 pm, same day._ _"Today's the fateful day…what a nightmare. It's not just something I can wake up from either…"_ Leina thought to herself as she was getting her hair done for the wedding. _"To make things worse, I dreamt about…him last night. It was such an intense, pleasurable dream. So vivid too."_

"Ok, Miss Vance, I'm all done. What do you think?" said the hairdresser cheerfully. Leina looked at her hair, which was done up into an elegant bun with two small tendrils framing her face. Diamond hair accessories adorned her hair.

"I like it…thank you very much." Leina said half-heartedly. _"If only I were getting ready for my wedding…to Aran. I want to die…but a part of me still believes he will come for me, and save Heather too."_ she thought to herself.

"Leina dear, let's get going. We need to get your dress on!" said Emma as she motioned her daughter to follow her.

* * *

"Just one more hour…" said Aran as the Armasa group, which now included Tallon, were seated around the dining table for an early dinner at the Seiyomari castle. No one talked much.

"Well, I hope the good king forgives me for destroying the chapel…it is going to be so much fun blowing things up, though! My Aeons can be rather destructive. Hehe!" said Tallon as his knees bounced up and down.

"Well, we will head out around quarter till. Aran, you take your car, and I'll take mine, since we'll need ta get Heather and Leina outta there. We gonna need the extra room." said Markas as he ladled some more mashed potatoes onto his plate.

* * *

 _5:55 pm._ "Leina dear, it's time." said Emma as she placed Leina's veil. Leina wiped a few tears from her face as she placed a picture that she had of her and Aran, face down in her clothing bag. It was from the night they met, during his birthday feast. "Leina…I'm so sorry." Emma embraced her daughter, and then the two of them walked into the lobby of the chapel. Matthias was out there waiting for them.

"Well, my dear, let's do this!" said Matthias excitedly as he held out his elbow for Leina to place her hand on. The music started up and Leina and Matthias walked through the doors into the main chapel.

Leina and her father descended down the aisle, and when she looked towards the altar, she saw Vince standing there, devoid of emotion. He had a smile on his face, but not one of love, but just out of victory from landing his trophy wife.

Heather was standing there, amongst a couple of female Sumestris agents, all wearing black dresses. She looked incredibly sad.

Leina and her father arrived at the altar, and Vince walked over to her, and held out his elbow. Leina placed her hand upon it and they walked up to the pulpit. Leina felt nauseous. The priest began the ceremony. Leina began having flashbacks of her time with Aran, and the sensual dream replayed in her head. She quickly reached for a nearby basket and threw up into it. The audience gasped, and Vince said, indifferently, "Leina darling, are you ok?"

"Sorry…just nervous." came Leina's reply as she took a drink of water.

"Well, there's no reason for that. We will be together soon." Vince said with a cold smile. The priest had them say their vows, and when they said their "I do's", the priest was about to direct them to kiss. Before that happened, there was a loud explosion that rumbled the church.

Everyone panicked, and another explosion blew a hole in the roof. Just then, a large, yellow, birdlike creature appeared over the church and shot electricity into the chapel, causing the Sumestris agents in the pews to scatter. "What's going on here!?" shouted Vince, although his voice was not heard over the commotion.

Tallon walked onto the altar from a back entrance, and he cast Protect and Shell on Heather, and said, "Hey, it is me! I am getting you out of here!"

"Tallon!? Oh my gods! Is that Quezacotl!?" Heather quietly exclaimed, excitedly.

"Sure is! Let us go, my lady!" said Tallon as he scooped her up and took off through the back door. The female agents standing near her tried to stop them, but they all fell asleep.

"I don't think so." said Ryuden after he used the sleep spell on them.

Meanwhile, Saraiah, Dylan and Markas all busted in through a wall, the hole created by Markas's missile. They each had Protect and Shell cast on them, and they engaged the swarm of Sumestris agents.

Leina hit Vince and tried to get away, but he grabbed her and wrestled her down to the ground.

Ryuden had learned level 3 magic and vaporized a large group of agents with Firaga magic. "Finally I get to set people on fire!" he shouted, then laughed obnoxiously.

Just then, the aisle split down the middle and Aran busted in, shouting at Vince, "Hey, Asshole! Get your filthy hands off of her or I will rip your godsdamned arms off!" his red eyes burning with passionate fury.

"Aran!" yelled Leina as she elbowed Vince in the stomach and tried to run to Aran, but again, Vince quickly grabbed her by the arm as he said, "This is ridiculous! Guards, restrain him!"

The rest of Team Armasa had taken off with Heather, and Ryuden was still outside, dealing with agents. The guards still in the chapel ambushed Aran and grabbed him. "Don't you touch me, you bastards!" shouted Aran as he struggled to break free, but it was too late. Vince grabbed Leina and forcefully kissed her.

"NO!" shouted Aran as he watched in horror, still struggling with the guards. He picked up two large guards and hurled them through the large window behind the altar. Vince held a gun to Leina's head, and Aran quickly stopped what he was doing.

"Vince…put it down." said Aran in a calm, but very serious tone. Another guard used a powerful stun gun on him, and after several attempts, Aran began losing consciousness as he watched Leina being knocked out and taken out of the chapel.

Vince ran out to a car and placed Leina in it, and said, "Melissa, I have to take care of something. Get back to the agency. I'll be there shortly after." Vince walked back into the church, and discovered that Aran was gone, and the agents that had restrained him were on the ground, twitching as if they were electrocuted. It was Ryuden's handiwork.

Matthias walked into the chapel, and said, "Well…this sure didn't go as well as we thought it would. That stupid dragon tried to wreck the wedding. My deepest apologies, Son! By the way, where's my money? We agreed that you would also pay me cash in exchange for Leina."

"Foolish old codger, I already have Leina, and your other daughter was taken away by those Armasa ruffians. I don't owe you anything." said Vince with an evil smile as he pulled out a gun and shot Matthias right through the heart.

* * *

"I was too late…too late…" said Aran after he was treated by Dylan and Tallon.

"I am so sorry, Aran. I thought my plan would work." said Tallon, looking defeated.

"Tallon, it's not your fault…I was weak. I let them stun me and I couldn't get to her. Vince had a gun to her head, and before I could do anything, they knocked me out. I failed her. She could be dead right now…" Aran fought back tears as he hugged his knees to his chest.

"I doubt that…Vince was clearly attracted to her. I don't think he intends to kill her." said Dylan, trying to reassure Aran.

"We need to find their base and rescue her and the other captives…but where is the base?" said Tallon as he scratched his head.

"I know where it is." said Heather as she walked into the hospital wing of the castle. "I can lead you to it. We will need to be careful though…they will most likely be expecting us after what just happened."

Saraiah walked in, and had a sad look on her face. "Guys…Heather…I just heard terrible news, particularly for Heather. Police officers and some of my dad's knights went into the chapel to clean up, and they found…your father, Heather. He's been murdered." Heather burst into tears as Saraiah wrapped her arms around her. "We have reason to believe that Vince did it…he was the last one to leave the building before the authorities went in. He got away before they could catch him." said Saraiah, still holding Heather, while Tallon walked over and wrapped his arms around Heather from behind.

"D-d-does my mom know?" said Heather through tears.

"Yes she does. I think you should go be with her. She's rather upset." said Saraiah as she motioned Heather to follow her. Tallon took Heather by the hand and they went to see Emma. Aran and Dylan followed them.

* * *

 _9:00 pm. Same day._ "Ok you guys, I need you to go to the Sumestris base and take them down. Free all prisoners and get Leina and Amber back. Heather has given us the location of their base, on these flash drives. I will send several transport vans after I hear that you rescued the prisoners. Of course, due to recent events, it is my wish that Heather and her mother remain here, heavily guarded. Do you understand this mission?" said King Cid in his usual commanding tone. Everyone agreed and headed out.

"It's odd that I haven't heard a peep from Amber in a while. I have a bad feeling about this…I swear if they hurt her they'll be sorry…" Saraiah grumbled as her blue eyes gazed through the car window.

"I'm sure she's alright. We'll get her out of there." Dylan said as he placed his hand over Saraiah's.

"There's the base, dead ahead." said Aran, who had Ryuden and Tallon in his car, and Saraiah and Markas were with Dylan in his car, which was following Aran.

"Wow, it is not very well guarded…then again we did just wipe out a majority of their agents…" said Tallon, noticing how they got in with no hiccups.

"We should still keep our guard up." Aran replied, sounding somewhat suspicious. He then spoke into his comm system. "Ok. As we discussed before, we will take down a few agents and steal their uniforms and helmets."

"Got it!" came the unanimous reply.

They parked, and spotted six guards, who all luckily seemed to be of similar height and build to each of the Armasa group members. They took them down and stole their uniforms.

"Wow, this is really uncomfortable…" said Saraiah as she put the helmet on. "And it stinks!"

"Well, it's our best option right now. Let's split up. Dylan and Saraiah, I want you to take care of the rest of the agents throughout the building, and find Amber. Tallon, Ryuden, I want you to go find the captives and get them out of here. Markas, you come with me…we will go after Vince. Everyone meet up with us as soon as you complete your tasks." said Aran as he lowered the visor on his helmet.

"Roger!" came the reply.

"Let's move!" commanded Aran.

* * *

"Ok Markas, I think the main office is this way." said Aran over the comm system, so no one could hear that they were not Sumestris agents.

Just then, they heard a voice, from a distressed woman. "Hey, what did I tell you? I said NO! You stupid pervert!" This did not sound like Leina or Amber.

Aran and Markas ran towards the commotion, and they knocked the guard out. They saw a distressed woman, hanging her head. She looked a little bit roughed up. "You ok, miss?" said Aran as he walked into the room to help her. She looked up, and Aran's heart stopped for a moment.

"Oh my Gods… _Serileine!?_ "


	9. Chapter 9

**_"So…I've lost him for good…I should be happy for him…but I still love him too…gods this is so confusing."_**

* * *

 _10:00 pm. Same day._ "Serileine!? Is that really you!?" Aran exclaimed through his helmet, his heart slamming against his chest.

"Of course it is…who's asking?" Serileine asked as she stood up. Aran's eyes welled up as he removed his helmet. "Aran? Oh my gosh! It's really you!" she exclaimed as she ran up and threw her arms around her long lost love. Both of them started crying and kissing.

 _"Oh man…this will complicate things…"_ Markas thought to himself. "Serileine…I'm glad you're ok! How tha hell are you alive, though? I thought you died in the explosion!" Markas asked Serileine, who was resting her head on Aran's chest.

"Markas. It's good to see you. The agents decided at the very last minute to capture me instead of killing me. They faked my death, and led me to believe that Aran was dead. They have kept me alive, because of my technological know-how. I've been living comfortably...so to speak." she said as she tightened her embrace with Aran.

Aran held her close and said, "Serileine, I'm here now. I love you so much. We need to get you out of here."

"What about Leina?" asked Markas.

"Who's Leina?" asked Serileine, casually.

"Oh…Leina is…a friend of ours. She's the one who married Vince. We need to get her out of here too…" said Aran as he stroked Serileine's hair. "Amber Lindell is here as well."

"Amber got mixed up in all of this? Damn, these Sumestris bastards don't know when to quit!" Serileine said, eyebrows furrowed.

"She's actually here undercover, but we haven't heard from her in a bit." Aran replied, looking worried.

"Well…I'll go get Leina. I'll leave you two alone for now." said Markas as he cocked his gun.

"Uh…sure, Markas." said Aran. Markas left the room and Serileine locked it behind him.

"Aran…I have missed you so much. Take me now!" she said as she removed her blouse and seized her black haired lover and planted a passionate kiss on his mouth.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" said Aran as he quickly removed the guard uniform, stripped down his long lost love, and scooped her up and laid her down on the bed that was in that room.

* * *

"Hey guys, we are here to rescue you." said Tallon as he and Ryuden entered the containment chamber.

Ryuden used the keycard that he confiscated from a guard to open the cells while Tallon was on the phone with Cid, letting him know to send the vans from the local dispatch station. There was a young black girl, about 15 years old. She looked a little bit like Markas. "Young lady, what is your name?" Ryuden asked, curiously.

"Um…Yukari…Weston." said the girl, looking somewhat intimidated.

"Yukari…don't be afraid. We're here to help." said Ryuden as he got down on one knee and gently took Yukari by both hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Your brother is here. He's helping our friends take down Vince." he said, gently.

"Markas…is here? He came to help save us?" said Yukari, who seemed more relaxed. Ryuden smiled and nodded. Yukari smiled back.

"Ok, the vans are here. Let us get them out of here!" yelled Tallon as he summoned Shiva. Shiva froze the door to keep the guards out as Ryuden used a concentrated Firaga spell to blast a hole in the back wall. It led outside, where there were six vans waiting. "Nice one, Ryuden!" said Tallon as he began escorting a group of captives out to the van.

"Yeah, thanks! I think Aran would be proud!" said Ryuden as he ran ahead and prepared to cast magic on any enemies. The captives were successfully loaded up and taken to safety. The ice blocking the door melted and several guards ran outside to where the two mages were. Tallon healed both himself and Ryuden and summoned Quezacotl while Ryuden prepared to cast high level black magic.

* * *

"Phew, what stubborn little jerks these guys are!" said Saraiah as she and Dylan plowed forward, taking down a swarm of guards that stood in their way.

"No kidding…at least we're almost through, though!" said Dylan as he impaled a guard with his lance.

Saraiah then grabbed another guard by the wrist and roughly demanded, "Where the fuck is Amber Lindell!? Where's my best friend!?'

"I…don't know…try the hospital wing…" the guard croaked out before Saraiah knocked him unconscious.

"Hospital wing!?" Saraiah exclaimed as she and Dylan made haste for the said area. "Amber!" Saraiah yelled with worry when she found her best friend, in bad shape on a bed. "Amby, what did they do to you!?" she scurried to her side and touched her bruised face.

"It appears she was in a brutal altercation. I'll fix her right up though." Dylan said reassuringly as he pulled out a potion, and added it to her I.V., then began healing her with white magic.

After a few moments, Amber gasped loudly and abruptly sat up. "Melissa Yunari!" she shouted.

"Amby! It's me!" Saraiah said as she placed her hands on Amber's shoulders and made her look at her. "Who the hell did this to you!?"

"Saraiah!? Thank the Gods!" Amber cried out in relief as she threw her arms around her best friend. "B-but Melissa…she's…"

"Wait…what's that sound? It sounds like a child crying…" said Saraiah as she put up one finger.

"Yeah, I hear it too." said Dylan. "We need to go investigate."

Amber nodded in agreement, and slowly stood up from the bed.

Dylan and Saraiah used the keycard they obtained and opened the door. Inside, there was a little black-haired boy that looked to be almost three years old, who seemed frightened. "Hey…little boy, are you ok?" said Saraiah who kneeled down and placed her hands on his shoulders.

The little boy stood up and threw his arms around Saraiah and said, "Where's daddy…I want daddy!"

"Daddy? We will look for your daddy. Come with us." said Saraiah as she picked up the boy. She looked at his face and gasped. The little boy's face was unmistakable. "Oh my gods…Dylan, Amby…his daddy…is Aran!" The boy looked almost exactly like their black haired, red-eyed companion, just a lot younger. "Your daddy is here. We will take you to him!" said Saraiah as she, Amber, and Dylan headed towards Aran's whereabouts.

"I see daddy…from pik-chur. I tink daddy nicer den people here…" Saraiah noticed bruises on his arm, and there was one on his cheek.

"Oh my gods, Dylan…he's being abused. We need to get him out of here. I wonder if…Serileine is here as well." said Saraiah as she looked very angry and sad at the same time.

"When I was under, I heard Melissa beating him and screaming at him…" Amber said, still looking shaken up.

"Young man, where is your mommy?" asked Dylan.

The boy began crying really hard and screamed, "Mommy…no mommy!"

"Oh no…what if she _is_ dead?" said Saraiah as she comforted the boy.

"Or worse…" said Dylan.

"Dylan, Saraiah…there's something I need to tell you."

* * *

"Aran…I've missed you so much. I haven't felt that good in a long time." said Serileine as she placed her arm across Aran's chest and kissed him on the neck.

He inhaled deeply and caressed Serileine, down to her stomach. As his fingers glided over her naval, he took notice of what appeared to be a c-section scar. "Serileine…what about our son? Is he ok?"

"Aran…yes he is. He is sleeping right now. I will take you to him soon." said Serileine as she pulled Aran in close to her and kissed him.

Aran gently pulled his lips away after a minute, and while caressing her hair, he asked, "So…what did you name him?"

"Zaine. I know we talked about that name often…I named him after you, Aran…he looks just like you."

"Of course…my middle name. I like it." Aran said, smiling. "We can go see him in a little bit. For now, we've got some catching up to do!" he continued as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and scooted his bare-skinned fiancee under him and kissed her passionately.

Serileine took a deep breath, let out a moan of pleasure, and said softly, "Yes…Zaine can wait…Aran…ooh!"

* * *

"Leina, it would seem that your friends have arrived. I have forgiven your behavior at the wedding, my dear wife. I'm just assuming that you were not in your right mind." said Vince as he climbed out of bed.

Leina slowly woke up to discover that Vince had consummated their marriage while she was under the influence. She felt sick, possibly because of the drugs, and possibly from disgust. "Have they now…" said Leina, her voice fatigued.

"Oh, and Leina? It would seem that you don't have a chance with your boyfriend now. His fiancee is still alive, and she is here. We captured her after Maleigha fell." said Vince with an insensitive smile.

Leina's heart hit the floor and she ran to the bathroom to throw up. _"So…I've lost him for good…I should be happy for him…but I still love him too…gods this is so confusing."_ she thought to herself as she finished regurgitating and stood up to brush her teeth.

"Leina, that's a side effect of the drugs I gave you. Clean yourself up and get dressed. Let's head down to the main office so we can deal with our guests." said Vince as he tossed her a towel.

"Right…" she said, half-heartedly. Leina dressed herself and pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail, then followed her husband to their office.

When they arrived, Markas was there to greet them. "Yo Vince…I'm here to take ya wife home. I suggest ya hand her over or I'll take her by force." he said as he pointed a gun at him.

"Markas! What are you doing here!? Where is Aran!?" said Leina, surprised by her comrade's presence.

"Oh…Leina…this is bad news for you, but good news for him…" Markas replied, shaking his head.

"Markas…I already know. Why are you guys still trying to rescue me?" said Leina, looking hopeless.

"Well…because we all care about ya, Leina. You're our friend, and we ain't gonna let ya live in misery for the rest of yo life. Let's go, Leina!" said Markas as he walked up to take Leina by the hand while still pointing a gun at Vince.

"No." said Leina as she jerked her hand away.

"Leina…I don't understand." said Markas, confused.

"Markas…I'm happy for Aran, I really am. But I cannot see him again. I don't want to do anything to sabotage his relationship with Serileine. They say if you love someone, you should let them go. That's what I'm doing. Vince is going to perform a spell on me that will wipe all of my memories from the past few months. I won't even remember Aran at all. None of you, for that matter. Please…be gone." said Leina, her voice wavering.

"Well, that's pretty damn stupid of ya. What about yo mom and sister!? Did ya know that this jackass murdered yo father shortly after tha wedding!?" shouted Markas as he fired a shot at Vince.

Vince quickly dodged as he said, "That's a lie!" and he engaged Markas in hand to hand combat.

The two men brawled all over the office, breaking various furniture, until Leina shouted, "STOP!" The two men let go of each other and saw that Leina was pointing a gun at Markas. "Get away from him, Markas. This is my new life now. I'm learning to accept it and move on." she said, tears streaming down her face.

"But Leina…you'll still be miserable, whether or not ya forget about Aran…an' it's tha truth. Vince murdered yo father. He don't care about ya." said Markas as he stepped away from Vince.

"Vince…is this true?" Leina said, pointing the gun at her husband.

"Every word. But you will soon forget about all of that." came the cold-hearted reply.

Leina began sobbing as she put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger. Both of the men shouted, "NO!" but nothing happened. Leina was still standing there, holding the gun. Apparently it was empty.

"Well…that could have been bad!" said Vince as he walked up to Leina, took the gun and pistol-whipped her, knocking her unconscious.

"Hey! Tha hell ya doing!?" yelled Markas as he ran towards them. Vince laid a smoke bomb and disappeared with Leina.

* * *

"Wow Aran…you've only gotten better! I think it's a safe bet that everyone here knows your name now…" said Serileine, with a smile.

"Well, thanks! Hehe. Can't say you are terrible either." said Aran, the edge of his lips curving into a crooked smile.

"Well…let's go see Zaine!" said Serileine as she stood up and got dressed.

Aran put his normal clothes back on, which he wore under the uniform that he wore to get into the building, and tied his hair back into a ponytail.

"Wow…you sure are sexy, Aran!" said Serileine as she gave Aran a once-over. "Tell me about this Leina. Who is she?"

"Well baby, you ain't too bad yourself. Come here. Hehe!" he said as he pulled Serileine in and embraced her. "Leina, she's a close friend of mine. She's awesome. You really should meet her when we get outta here! We need to go rescue her from Vince."

Serileine wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She pulled her lips away and said, "Oh I see. She sounds wonderful. Aran, you are a real man. It's really quite a shame."

"What are ya talking about...hurgh!" said Aran as a stabbing pain shot through his abdomen. He looked down to see that Serileine had stabbed him, to his utmost horror. He looked at her, and her look of love and passion had faded to an evil, amused expression. "S-S-Serileine…I don't understand…." he said as tears welled up in his eyes.

"You fool…you should never trust anyone." Serileine socked him in the stomach where she wounded him and Aran screamed in pain as he collapsed on the ground.

He spat blood and said, "W-w-why are you doing this!? I love you…snap out of it!" he was crying at this point, and Serileine kicked him in the abdomen and said, "You don't get it, do you!? There is nothing for me to 'snap out of'! My real name is Melissa Yunari. I am Vince's younger sister. We are both the leaders of Sumestris. I've been pulling the strings for a while now. I'm the one who arranged that wedding after I found out that you were alive, and was getting really close with that pretty blonde bitch. I figured if we took her, we could lure you here and finish you off."

She kicked Aran in the face. Aran just took it, crying uncontrollably from extreme heartbreak. He just grabbed his face and said, "Serileine…s-s-stop it! What about…us? Our relationship?"

"Aran…I was sent by my brother to work undercover for King Cid, for the purpose of gaining information so we could launch our attack. Of course, I met you, shortly after your incestual relationship with that delectable redhead… I found you quite attractive, and to protect my cover, I began a relationship with you. I even grew rather fond of you and I found myself getting used to a domestic lifestyle. You being a great piece of ass certainly didn't hurt."

Aran struggled to sit up and was still crying, rather hard. "Just…stop. No more! I love you!" he yelled between sobs.

Melissa kicked him in the face and kicked him in the abdomen again. "No, I'm not done yet. I found out I was knocked up, with your child. That's when I began planning the attack. Yes. I'm the one who led that assault against Seiyomari. I had hoped to kill you and your ex- _sister_ friend. Our main target was the King. Of course, he proved to be a difficult target, and I was forced to fake my own death, as Serileine Lorin. Just after you fell, they quickly escorted me into a helicopter before causing that explosion, and I purposefully left the stun pistol and engagement ring."

"What about…Zaine? Is he really alive? Or are you lying about that as well?" yelled Aran as he started to regain his composure.

"Oh, that little brat. Yes, he is still alive. I decided to continue my pregnancy, because my brother figured that he would be of use to us, eventually. He was delivered through C-section at 8 and a half months. He was already almost nine pounds. They knew I couldn't deliver him vaginally if I went to my due date. After several unsuccessful attempts to induce labor, they had to perform a C-section, since Zaine began showing signs of distress. More trouble than he was worth, that's for sure."

Aran's heartbreak was slowly turning to anger as Serileine kept talking. "You… _bitch._ How could you…he's a child! Your child. _Our_ child! I never thought you could be so heartless." Aran wiped his tears and turned to leave, still bleeding from his stab wound. "Serileine…or rather, Melissa…I will always love the woman you were…but there's another truly good woman who needs my help. I am walking away, and it's best you let me go."

He opened the door and felt a hard blow to the back of his head. Melissa tackled him and began pounding him with incredible strength. "You aren't going anywhere alive! That bitch can never have you!" shouted Melissa.

"Get off of me, you lying bitch!" shouted Aran as he used his foot to throw Melissa off of him. "I'm going to take care of your brother and then take MY son and get the hell out of here!" he continued as he stood up to walk away. He could feel himself getting weaker, and he started to heal his wound.

"Like HELL you are!" shouted Melissa as she lurched forward and grabbed Aran by the hair, yanking him backwards, causing him to fall on his rear-end, therefore cutting his healing spell short.

"AHGH!" he yelled. He attempted to turn around to hit her and break free but she jerked his hair with incredible strength, causing him to lose his balance and hit the floor again.

Just then, Saraiah, Amber, Dylan, Tallon, and Ryuden came running up to them. Saraiah had Zaine in her arms. "Aran! We have your son!" she yelled up to him. "Melissa! Let him go!" Saraiah shouted when she saw Melissa holding Aran tightly by the hair.

"Ah…Aran. It's your incestual love interest, coming to save you." she pointed a gun at Saraiah and yelled, "Stop right there!" She fired a shot and it zipped right through Saraiah's chest, barely missing Zaine. The wound began to heal immediately. "You bitch! You could have hit your son!" screamed Saraiah as she handed Zaine to Ryuden and prepared for a fight. Melissa was shocked by Saraiah's quick healing, and she became nervous. Saraiah walked toward her and said, "Let Aran go. Now. I'm gonna tear you limb from limb for what you did to Amber!"

"Melissa…I'd listen if I were you. Saraiah is immortal. _I_ wouldn't fight her." said Aran, with twisted amusement.

"I could tear your head off before you knew what happened!" Saraiah said, with a look of warning on her face.

"So…you are immortal, huh? Well, I know your friend here isn't!" Melissa jerked Aran's hair again and pointed the gun at his head. "Don't come near me or I will blow his pretty head off! And don't think your time magic will work on me!" she yelled. Aran had lost a considerable amount of blood and was growing rather weak. Any time he tried to heal himself Melissa would yank his hair.

Saraiah stopped in her tracks. "Melissa…you don't have to do this…just let him go! Please!" said Saraiah, not wanting to take chances.

"R-Ryuden…take my son and get out of here…" said Aran, hoarsely.

"But what about you?" said Ryuden.

"Just go!" said Aran.

Ryuden nodded and picked up Zaine and began leaving. Melissa quickly pointed her gun at Ryuden and fired a shot at his kneecap. Ryuden growled in pain and hit the ground, dropping Zaine and clutching his knee. "You fucking bitch…c-cast-"

"Don't even think about it, half-breed! His brain will splatter on the floor before your magic touches me!" shouted Melissa to Ryuden as she quickly pointed the gun at Aran's head again.

Saraiah had cried out when she saw Ryuden get shot. She knelt down by his side. "Ry! Are you alright!?"

Zaine began crying and said, "Mommy! Let my daddy go!" yelled Zaine through tears.

"Z-Zaine…yes…Daddy is here! Everything will be ok!" said Aran as he began to cry from happiness with seeing his son.

"Zaine! You insolent little brat! Don't come near us!" shouted Melissa.

"I sorry, Mommy…pwease don't hit me again…" said Zaine, looking frightened.

"Melissa…are you abusing my son?" said Aran through gritted teeth.

"What the hell are you going to do about it? I think you spend too much time worrying about your hair than you do training! I'm much stronger than you, Aran! Feel free to TRY to do something about it!" yelled Melissa as she yanked Aran's hair again.

"Melissa…let him go. Now." came a gruff female voice from several feet away. There stood Leina, covered in blood, accompanied by Markas.

"Leina…" said Aran, quietly.

Leina continued as she walked towards Melissa, "It's over. Your brother told me everything, including who you really are. Now he's dead. A real pity."

"What? You killed…V-Vince?" said Melissa, her voice wavering.

"You bet she did! I've never seen so much blood from someone who has no heart…hehe!" said Markas, as he followed Leina. "Leina totally snapped, man! It was crazy!" he continued, laughing. "She cut him to ribbons!"

"N-n-no…it can't be…V-Vinnie…you BITCH! I will blow your fucking head off!" screamed a crying Melissa as she aimed her gun at Leina. Aran pulled a knife out of his boot, sliced through his hair to break free of Melissa's grip and delivered a hard side kick to her abdomen. Melissa tumbled backwards and Aran kicked her in the side, then yanked her up by the hair.

"How's it feel, huh? You have no godsdamned idea how strong I am. I couldn't bring myself to really hurt you…until I discovered you beat my son." he jerked her hair, causing her to cry out. "What's wrong, too weak to defend yourself? How the fuck do you think Zaine felt!?" Aran growled as he released Melissa's hair and kicked her again, knocking her to the floor.

"No…stop…please…" Melissa cried out in protest as Aran advanced on her. Ryuden had grabbed Zaine again and kept him from seeing what was happening. Aran yanked Melissa up once more.

"Again, didn't Zaine beg you to stop as well!? You really are a terrible person." Aran's vision started getting fuzzy due to the loss of blood he was still experiencing. He wavered slightly, and Melissa took that opportunity to attack, elbowing him in the gut, then again in the face, which only managed to piss him off.

Aran regained his composure, and grabbed Melissa by the shoulders, then slammed his knee into her abdomen, causing a few drops of blood to fly from her mouth. He then dropped his elbow on her back, causing her to hit the floor, face first, rather hard. He then turned towards the others, who were staring in shock. "I'm…sorry y'all had to see that…"

"That stupid bitch deserved it after the stunt she pulled…and hitting a kid! Ugh!" Saraiah exclaimed, while still tending to Ryuden. Tallon was healing his wound.

"Well, it's over. Let's get out of here." Aran said as he took Zaine by the hand. They all began to leave until they heard some stirring behind them.

"Wait…" said Melissa, who feebly stood up. "I-I'm sorry. Please give me another chance…" Aran paused, and he thought for a moment.

"Melissa…are you serious!? Another chance!? You caused too much pain and suffering. You aren't the same woman I loved three years ago. She died on the bridge. What you have done…is unforgivable. I can never trust you again. I don't love you. I…hate you." said Aran as he clenched his fist. "You're a fucking liar."

"I understand…Aran. I don't deserve a wonderful man like you. I really blew it…" Melissa stood up and walked towards the group.

"Damn straight you did. Cut the bullshit. You are not sorry. I also saw you try to kill Leina…I'm…rather fond of her. You stay away from us, or I will kill you…" said Aran.

"Bitch, I will set you on fire if you take another step." Ryuden snapped to Melissa, tilting his head downward and glaring at her through his eyelashes, with his eyebrows furrowed. "You really fucked over my best friend. He's been nothing but good to you."

Melissa found that unsettling and stopped in her tracks. Someone she remembered as one of the nicest guys she ever knew, his green eyes shooting her such a murderous glare. She knew he was serious. "Very well, I won't come any closer…please…just leave…" she then chugged a potion.

"Aran…I have a bad feeling about this…" said Dylan.

Melissa was about ten feet away when she pulled out her gun and fired it at Zaine. Aran quickly jumped in front of him and took the bullet in the left shoulder. He had pushed Zaine out of the way. "ARAN!" screamed Leina and Saraiah. Saraiah picked up a crying Zaine while Tallon and Dylan began healing Aran's wounds.

Leina lunged forward and engaged Melissa. Intense hand to hand combat ensued, and it seemed that Melissa had the upper hand. Leina hit the ground and Melissa prepared to shoot her in the head, but Aran acted fast and a lance of fazium shot forth from his finger. It struck her square in the chest, and right after that Ryuden cast fire on her. Melissa screamed and collapsed to the ground, and Leina stood back up, armed her sword, and ran Melissa through the chest. Aran's lips forced a morbidly amused grin, and Saraiah turned around so Zaine couldn't see. Leina stabbed Melissa again and turned the sword to do further damage. Melissa let out a blood-curdling scream and was soon choking on her own blood.

"You bitch…how dare you do what you did…to me, to Aran, to Seiyomari…to your own son…to my family…and my friends…I can't allow you to live." said Leina, in a low, angry voice. She pulled the sword out of Melissa's chest as some blood spattered and Melissa quickly succumbed to her injury, still smoldering from Ryuden's magic.

Aran heaved a sigh and embraced Saraiah and Zaine. "Mommy broken?" said Zaine, softly.

"Yes…mommy is broken." said Aran as he inhaled deeply.

"Mommy bad…I glad she broken. Mommy hurt me lots. Uncle Vinnie too…" said the child.

"Zaine…I'm so sorry. Daddy will never hurt you. I promise that." Aran said as he broke down crying and embraced his son. Zaine's words that spoke of past abuse and torment ripped Aran's heart in two. "I'm so glad you are alive…I love you so much…Zaine."

"Wuv you too, Daddy. You no cry no more." said Zaine as he patted his father's head. Saraiah started crying as well, and Dylan wiped a tear from his eye as he embraced his girlfriend.

Tallon smiled very warmly as he looked at Markas and Ryuden and said, "Is this not so beautiful?" They both nodded as they sniffled.

Leina stood up and walked over to the group and said, "It's over now. Let's go home. Aran…I'm so sorry…about everything."

Aran stood up and embraced Leina tightly. "Leina…thank you." he said as he released her.

He walked over to Melissa's body and picked her up. "I guess I can give the bitch a proper burial, if nothing more…the last thing we need is for some weirdo to find her body and bring her back to undeath or something crazy like that. Hmph. I wish it didn't have to be this way, though." said Aran as his expression turned somber. He was obviously devastated and angry from recent events and was hiding it. Saraiah picked up Zaine and the group walked out of the base. Aran put Melissa's lifeless body in the trunk and had Ryuden drive his car and Markas rode in the passenger seat. The others rode with Dylan. Aran sat in the back seat of his car and held Zaine close to him, and cried softly, overwhelmed with anger and confusion, and of course, joy that he was reunited with his son, whom he had believed to be dead for the past three years. His own flesh and blood. He was alive and well. It was rather bittersweet.

"Daddy…you cry again? You hurt somewhere?" asked the child as he looked up at Aran with his big, burgundy eyes full of wonder.

"Zaine…I'm ok. Daddy is just glad to see you. Daddy is crying because he is happy." said Aran, hiding his negative feelings. He thought to himself, _"Zaine…I hope you never have to understand my feelings…"_

They arrived in Seiyomari, and Aran had everyone drive to the lake. Melissa, as Serileine, always loved sitting by the lake. Aran thought it was an appropriate place to lay her to rest, as Serileine, if only for the sake of closure. They found a spot, and Dylan used alchemy to create a hole in the ground. Aran had Melissa wrapped in a blanket, and he jumped into the deep hole and laid her down on the bottom. He casually kissed her forehead and said, "Goodbye, Serileine…I doubt we will meet again." He covered her face and climbed out of the hole.

"One second, guys. I need to do something down there." Saraiah said to the others as she climbed down into the hole.

"Serileine…or rather, Melissa, I really liked you. You were always kind and wise, and I was devastated when I thought you were dead. But it turns out it was all a fucking lie." Saraiah growled as she pulled out her kunai knife and stabbed the corpse in the skull. "All fucking lies! I trusted you!" she shouted some more as she kept frantically stabbing, blood splashing everywhere from the impacts. "Then you go and beat the shit out of Amby and plan to torture her! And you break Aran's heart! And beat Zaine on a daily fucking basis! I hope you feel every godsdamned stab I give you right now!" Melissa's body was soon not much more than a bloody mess. "Burn in hell you disgusting cunt!"

"Saraiah, that's enough! Come back up here!" Ryuden called down to her, as he could hear what she was saying. She reluctantly complied, and Ryuden helped her up.

"Now I feel better!" she said as she inhaled deeply. She then grabbed Ryuden and bawled into his shirt. "Fuck that bitch…" she cried as Ryuden held her closely.

Dylan and the other men began throwing dirt into the hole. Aran collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "Why? WHY? Why did it have to be this way? It's just not fair!" he screamed as he repeatedly punched the ground, causing it to shake. "The fucking Sumestris leader? WHY? I was starting to get over her and now this!? Damn it all to hell! Why didn't that bitch just leave me alone? I wish we had never met!"

"Aran…" said Saraiah as she walked over and embraced her angry brother, "Aran…your son. I know how awful this must be…but your son needs you now." She motioned for Zaine to come over to them, after wiping a few tears from her eyes. Amber walked over to Saraiah and took her into her arms.

"Daddy…I sorry. You mad at me?" said Zaine, with a sad face.

"Oh Zaine…come here." said Aran softly, as he pulled his son into a gentle embrace. "Of course I'm not mad at you. You did nothing wrong. Your mother was a terrible person. Let's go home. Your Grandpa Cid would love to meet you."

"Heh, Aran. Looks like you decided to cut your hair after all…to be honest, I don't think short hair suits you!" said Ryuden, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Psh…it'll grow back. Let's get going. This whole thing sucks…but I'm glad it's over now. Melissa paid the price for her crimes." said Aran as he picked Zaine up and the group returned to their vehicles and headed for Seiyomari Castle.

* * *

"Dylan, please take me home. Right now, I think it's best that I make myself scarce. I did kill the woman that Aran loved at one time…" said Leina.

"Leina, I don't think Aran would want that…he did assist in her death, after all. He just needs some time to get his thoughts straight, and I think you would be very helpful to him. He loves you, he told me." said Saraiah as she placed her hand over Leina's.

"Wait…he does!?" Leina exclaimed with slight disbelief.

"It's true!" Amber said with a somewhat sad smile.

"Saraiah, Amber…I love him too, and I just feel like I would be selfish right now. I don't want to be his rebound. Dylan, please take me home. I need to be with my mother and sister, anyways." said Leina.

Dylan nodded as Saraiah said, "Very well. I understand."

"Thanks. Oh, aren't they still at the castle, though?" said Leina.

"Yes, but I can call Daddy and he can have Uncle Alex take them home." replied Saraiah.

"That works." said Leina.

"Leina, do you mind if I join you? I wish to be there for Heather too…Saraiah, perhaps you could have Cid grab my bag and send it with Heather and Emma?" said Tallon.

Saraiah nodded, as Leina said, half smiling, "Sure…do you like my sister?"

"Yes I do! Is that ok?" asked Tallon, blushing.

"Well, we shall see if you are up to her standards!" said Leina, jokingly. "But seriously, you're ok in my book!"

"Well, thanks for that." said Tallon, with a smile.

"Well, we are sure going to miss you two! Keep in touch and keep training! I know we will encounter Margine one of these days. Stay sharp!" said Dylan as he pulled up to the Vance mansion. Everyone got out of the car and Dylan and Saraiah hugged Tallon and Leina and bid them farewell.

"Leina, if you ever need me, no matter what time of day it is, whether to talk or hang out, call me." said Saraiah as she hugged Leina again.

"Same here, Leina. We love you!" Amber said sweetly as she took her by the hand.

"You know I will. I love you both." said Leina as she pulled Amber into the hug, and tightened her arms affectionately around the girls she loved as sisters and best friends. Leina exchanged cheek kisses with both women, and then they parted ways.

"Tallon, I will be more than happy to give you more advice and train you one day to be a good doctor!" said Dylan as he shook Tallon's hand. "Oh, and I found this." Dylan handed Tallon a blue Fazium crystal.

"Dylan…this is an Aeon crystal…this will let me obtain Leviathan! Thank you so much!" he said excitedly as he threw his arms around Dylan.

"No problem, kiddo." said Dylan, with a smile.

"Come on…I am nineteen for crying out loud…hehe! Take care!" said Tallon as he and Leina walked inside the house.

* * *

"Aran…you have returned! You have your son with you!" said Cid as the group, minus Tallon and Leina, as well as Markas, who had gone straight to bed, entered the royal chamber.

"Zaine, this is your grandfather, King Cid. You can call him Grandpa!" said Aran as he led Zaine over to Cid.

"Zaine…it's great to meet you. You have one heck of a father!" said Cid as he smiled warmly as he embraced Aran and Zaine in a group hug.

"Well, I guess some good has come out of this!" said Saraiah as she held Dylan's hand.

"Aran, I'm so happy for you!" Amber said with a radiant smile.

"So…what happened to…Serileine?" said Cid. Aran explained everything, and Cid said, "Aran…I'm terribly sorry. I had no idea…"

"Dad…it's ok. I'm totally over it. That bitch deserved to die. I have Zaine now, and he means so much to me. I wish Leina had come back with us…I wish to talk with her, but in light of recent events, I can't have a relationship with her right now. I don't want her to think that she's a replacement for Serileine. I don't blame her for killing Serileine…I mean, Melissa…Melissa did try to kill Leina and Zaine, after all. She also incapacitated Amber before we even arrived. Hell, I stabbed her when she was about to blow Leina's head off. She was pure evil. I need some time…I still love Leina, very much, and I never want her to feel like a stand-in for Serileine. I do wish to be with her soon, though, when the time is right. She's the woman I love now. The egg donor is dead to me now. I was just…so pissed off and confused. I thought she was alive and all was well…and she turned out to be the bad guy. That really sucks." said Aran, seeming to feel better than he did just twenty minutes earlier.

"I never got the chance to send the information I had found before I was attacked." Amber said to both Aran and Cid. "I'm sorry."

"Amby, don't apologize. You did what you could. You sure do have guts!" Aran said, with a reassuring smile. Cid nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys. I need to go report to Sam now!" Amber bid everyone farewell, then headed off to see Sam.

"So…what now? Sumestris has been taken down…what next?" asked Dylan.

"Well…we will keep training. Margine will return one of these days, and I hope to launch a full scale search and rescue for Renaiya. We have to be in tip-top shape for that assault to be successful." said Aran.

"Daddy…by the way, I've decided to move out. I'm going to stay with Dylan." said Saraiah.

"Oh…I see. I don't like it one bit, but you are an adult, after all. Take care of my little girl, Dylan! I guess you are as close to good enough as any guy can get!" said King Cid, looking a little unsure of what he just heard. Aran chuckled a little bit.

"You know I will. Thank you." said Dylan.

"I will make sure of that, Dad!" said Aran as he playfully tugged on Dylan's ear. Dylan lightly jostled him with his elbow and they both laughed. Cid just smiled and shook his head.

"Wow…it's 2:00 in the morning…we'd better get to bed!" said Saraiah as she yawned.

"Aran…you need to get your hair fixed tomorrow! It's like, several different lengths…hehe! You are one hot mess! Certainly more mess than hot right now! You're usually a solid nine but you're looking a little five to six-ish right now!" said Ryuden, laughing.

"Shhh…" said Aran, gently. Zaine had fallen asleep in Aran's arms almost immediately after Aran picked him up.

"Oh…sorry. Uncle Ry's pretty loud, huh." whispered Ryuden.

"I guess he can sleep with me tonight." said Aran, quietly, with a warm smile. He closed his eyes and continued smiling as he held his son close to him. He looked very happy in light of what had happened.

* * *

"Amber! I had no idea that had happened to you! So apparently it was either Vince or Melissa that sent that text from your phone. I should have known better." Sam said after Amber gave her report. "So, Serileine Lorin was Melissa Yunari. That would explain why she was "targeted." She discovered she was outmatched so she decided to fake her own death. That would also explain why Melissa never revealed herself."

"That's right, but she has been killed, along with Vince. Sumestris has officially fallen. I think we were all very lucky."

"And thank the Gods that Zaine is alive. Aran was reunited with his son, after thinking he was dead. I'm very pleased with this outcome. You did well, Amber."

"I appreciate that Sam, but it was all Team Armasa. Leina Vance was amazing today." Amber replied with a warm smile. "You know, I fully support her and Aran getting together. It was quite an experience seeing Team Armasa do what they do firsthand! And now they will most likely take on Tallon Ravencrow from Mirrassei."

"The Hunter's Guild is very fortunate having Team Armasa as an ally. I know some of my hunters have to pass themselves off as bad guys though, to get the job done. Or as kidnapping victims."

"Now that the Sumestris project has ended, what will I need to do now? Will I be going to work for Margine to help the other two?" Amber asked, with curiosity.

"I may need to send you, but now's not the time. The other two have it under control. You go take some paid leave. You deserve it!" Sam said, with a sweet smile.


	10. Chapter 10

**_"_** ** _I am well aware of that. But I'll be sure if that happens, that I'll be the only one who pays."_**

* * *

 _Two Months Later. August 15._ "Dylan, you've been working all day! Come on, I miss you!" Saraiah said after knocking on the door to his office.

Dylan opened the door, and smiled at Saraiah. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I've been so caught up with work and developing new potions. Please try to bear with me!" he said sweetly as he gave her a kiss.

"Well, instead of being on your computer, wouldn't you rather be on…me?" Saraiah said, suggestively.

"Ohhh I can't right now. Please understand!" Dylan replied, looking a bit sexually frustrated.

Saraiah gave him her pleading blue eyes, and began slipping the strap of her top down, showing a part of her breast. "Oh, please Dr. Frank, examine me!"

"B-But…aw ok. What the hell." Dylan finally relented and pulled Saraiah into his office, where he laid her down on the floor.

After a few minutes, Dylan had finished. "Oh come on, Dyl! I was getting close!" Saraiah whimpered as her boyfriend climbed off of her.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm just so preoccupied!" He replied, looking remorseful. "I'll make it up to you, I promise!" he quickly kissed her once again, and escorted her out of the office.

"Grrrrr…" Saraiah grabbed the sides of her hair and headed back downstairs. "I suppose I'll give Amber and Leina a call."

* * *

 _The next day._ "Five minutes? That was it?" Amber said after Saraiah had vented to her about Dylan.

"Yeah. Ugh, in Mirrassei he was a sex god. Now he's just…lame sometimes." Saraiah said with frustration as she picked through a rack of dresses at the local shopping center. "I think this will look great for the photoshoot Leina wants to do!" she continued as she pulled out a blue and purple floral patterned sundress.

"Ooooh that's pretty!" Amber said as she admired the dress. She then pulled one that was a deep orange and strapless. "How's this for me?"

"That'll look so hot on you, Amby!" Saraiah exclaimed. "Let's try these on!"

"Afternoon, ladies!" Ryuden said as he walked up to them.

"Ry! Will you tell us what you think about our dresses? Pleeeeease?" Saraiah begged as she took him by the hands and bounced up and down.

Ryuden's gaze immediately fell to her bouncing chest. "Absolutely." he said without hesitation.

Amber first tried hers on, and it fit her perfectly. The skirt of the dress flared out, and her breasts filled in the strapless top. "Well?" she said to Ryuden, who looked rather impressed.

"Beautiful!" he said with a smile.

"Aww thanks!" she said sweetly as she sat down next to him, waiting for Saraiah to come out.

"Milady, are you gonna show me that dress?" Ryuden called to Saraiah who was taking her time.

"No…I'm not coming out!"

"Why not? You asked me to give my opinions. I wanna see!"

"J-just hush, Ry! I'll come out when I'm ready!"

"Saraiah hunny, what's the matter? Do I need to grab another size?" Amber said as she stood right in front of the door to where Saraiah was changing.

"N-no…I…c-can't come out. I'm too nervous!" Saraiah said quietly, so only Amber could hear her.

"Oh, it's just Ryuden, you don't have to be nervous!" Amber said as she laughed.

"That's the problem! Did you…see how good he looks right now? I'm a wreck in here!"

"Well then let me come in!" Amber requested of her friend, who complied. "Wow." She said when she looked at Saraiah. "Why are you nervous? You look ridiculously sexy in that, Saraiah! Gods, I'm tempted to pin you up against this wall right now!"

"Thanks Amby, but that's it! I can't let Ry see me looking like this! I just…ohhhhh Gods what is wrong with me?" Saraiah said as she buried her crimson face in Amber's shoulder. "I have a boyfriend, I can't let someone like Ry see me in this dress!"

Saraiah's dress was very flattering of her shape. It showed ample cleavage and flaunted her hips and butt very well. Her broad shoulders and toned arms only added to the appeal. The skirt of the dress fell just below mid-thigh. It was also predominately purple and had roses on it. "Amby, Ry will get the wrong idea!"

"Why do I get the vibe that you _want_ him to get the wrong idea?" Amber asked, with amusement.

"Shhhhhhh!" Saraiah frantically covered Amber's mouth. "I'm not in love with him, but he's like the hottest guy on Alterra! Dylan's a 10, Ry's a 15!"

"Really?" Amber said after Saraiah released her mouth. "Scandalous!"

"Ladies, are you making out in there or something?" Ryuden called to them, sounding somewhat impatient.

"Shut up, Ry!" Saraiah hissed through the dressing room door.

"Oh sweet baby fucking Bahamut, Saraiah! Just let me see that bloody dress already!" Ryuden said while sounding rather exasperated.

"Just go out there!" Amber said as she opened the door and pushed Saraiah out.

"HEY!" Saraiah yelled as she lost her balance and barreled right into Ryuden's arms. "Uh, hey." she said to Ryuden as she looked up at him.

"Alright. Let me see." Ryuden took a few steps back, and looked Saraiah over. "Not bad, Milady!" he said with a smile.

Saraiah felt her face heat up. "Not bad!? Idiot!" she snapped as she punched him in the arm.

"Ry, she's smoking hot, what do you mean, 'not bad'!?" Amber also punched him in the arm.

"Ladies, come on! You both look gorgeous! Let me take some pictures!" Ryuden said somewhat defensively as he pulled out his phone.

Amber and Saraiah both posed, and then scowled just as he took the photo.

"C'mon, girls! I wanna send these to Leina as previews!"

"Ok fine, Ry." Saraiah said as the two of them posed once more.

"That's more like it!" he said with a smile, as he began taking photos of them individually. "So pretty, you two are."

"Ha, thanks Ry! You're 'not so bad' yourself!" Saraiah replied, chuckling.

"Well, I've picked my outfits as well, so I'm gonna head to Leina's and meet up with Aran! Take care, ladies!" Ryuden hugged both of them, then left the store. After a moment, he inhaled deeply and said, "Holy fucking SHIT. I had to get out of there before I dragged Saraiah into one of those dressing rooms!" He adjusted himself, then sent a few photos to Aran with the captions, _"Fucking speechless."_

After a few minutes, he received a response. _"Oh hot DAMN. Even Leina wants to bang her. Lol."_

Ryuden chuckled, then replied, _"Haha! She'd best take a number then!"_

 _"_ _Duuuude you're insane! Don't tell Dylan or Renaiya!"_

 _"_ _Hah, no worries! I'll have to get Ren on video chat soon. ^_~ Besides even if Saraiah's hot as all fucking get-out, I still love Renaiya. The good looks run in the family!"_ Ryuden texted back as he shook his head and smiled. _"Gotta drive though, see you soon!"_

* * *

"So, I really hope Saraiah wears that dress from Ryuden's texts!" Leina said with a smile as she and Aran set up the photoshoot area. "Although…" Leina's face turned somewhat melancholy, as she looked down at her feet.

"What's wrong?" Aran asked, concerned.

"Oh, it's nothing." Leina shrugged and went back to setting up. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts that flaunted her butt.

"Hey, Saraiah is sexy, but so are you." Aran said, as he looked right at her rear-end. "And so what if your boobs are small. To be honest, I prefer that."

Leina rolled her eyes at Aran's comment, but she knew he meant it as a compliment. "Heh, thanks. What about Amber? She's almost as tall as I am. I happen to know that she's had a crush on you for a while."

"Amber? I don't know. She's attractive, but I've never really gotten the feeling that she was interested. I'm positive she's actually a lesbian. No joke."

"Oh, that's nice." Leina shrugged as she set up her camera.

"Leina, what's goin' through that pretty head of yours?"

"Aran, I…just don't feel quite ready to discuss my insecurities with you yet." Leina said as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"You have those too, eh? Well, I'm insecure about my pasty skin, and the fact that I'm a bit feminine looking. I just keep the hair long because it works for me. I'm just learning to embrace it, I guess. And I have damn near no ass. Then there's Ryuden. I often feel invisible around him. Girls just don't show interest in me like they do him." Aran confessed, trying to empathize with her.

"Ryuden? He's handsome, but you're the one I see. Your skin is gorgeous, and it's not that pasty. You look healthy. I love your hair. I could go on all day about you." Leina said with a genuine smile. "But yeah, you just look intimidating to women. I see them look you over often, but you do seem to give off the air that you don't want to be approached."

"Maybe I don't, especially after what happened two months ago. That's my biggest insecurity. I suppose I trust way too easily, and now I'm still getting used to being a father. It's terrifying. Am I doing things right? Can I make up for the way Zaine was treated by the egg donor?" Aran glanced over at Zaine, who was playing in a gated play area. "I can change diapers easily, but I can't change his past."

"I think you're doing great, besides, you have Cid to help you when you have concerns!" Leina said, reassuringly.

"That's true, thank you." Aran smiled at her, and she felt her heart race.

"Well, Aran, I have a low self-esteem. I don't feel attractive to any man other than sexual predators…" Leina closed her eyes and sat down.

"Leina…were you…?"

"Yes…by the King Cobra gang. And again by Vince. The second time I wasn't awake for it, but I knew it had been done." Leina's voice wavered, and Aran sat in front of her, placing his hand over hers.

"I'm so sorry."

"No need to be. I suppose the gang incident helped push me into knighthood. I decided I would never be a victim again. Of course, while I strengthened my body, I also strengthened my guard." Leina said as she squeezed Aran's hand.

"Well, let me bring it down. Slowly. I'm your friend, Leina. I'm here for you." Aran softly kissed her forehead. "We all are."

Leina felt tears wet the corners of her eyes, and her heart fluttered. "I feel like some of it has come down already."

"Guys, we're here! Let's get this party started!" Saraiah said as she walked in with Amber and Ryuden.

"Alright, let's get ready!" Leina said as she and Aran stood up. She then directed everyone to get dressed and the girls to get their makeup done.

* * *

"So, it seems that my brother's assassins have taken down Sumestris. How delightful." An older woman said as she clicked around her office in high heeled boots.

"So what does that mean for us, Margine?" A tall, blonde man in his 40's replied.

"Well Boris, I think it's time we set our plan into motion. I want those boys, Aran and Ryuden. I need them. They could be of use to me." Margine said as she leaned against the side of her desk.

"How would we apprehend someone like them though?"

"We have to be cautious. We cannot approach them directly. We need to lure them here by another means." Margine thought for a moment, her long, slender fingers laid across her chin. She then walked behind her desk and paged for Renaiya. "Renaiya dear, would you please come to my office?"

"I'll be right there." came the reply.

"I believe she can help us figure things out." Margine said as she sat down in her swivel chair.

After a few moments, a tall woman with dark auburn hair and hazel-green eyes arrived. "Yes, Aunt Margine?"

"Renaiya, I need your assistance. I need to lure Aran and Ryuden here somehow. I believe they'd be very useful for my experiments."

"You do know that Ryuden is my boyfriend, right?" Renaiya asked, with a look of concern.

"Oh, please don't worry, I don't wish to kill them if they cooperate with me and the plan works out. But why hasn't he come for you yet?"

"I told him not to, that I was safe." Renaiya replied, and Margine nodded.

"Well, you are. So what do you think would bring those boys to us?"

"We could bring in my sister as a hostage…" Renaiya's eyebrows furrowed. "Please, don't harm her though…"

"I'll only do what's necessary, Renaiya. However, isn't she almost as strong as the Dragonsouls?"

"Yes she is. I could speak with Dylan and work out a plan with him, as long as neither one of them will be seriously injured in the process." Renaiya suggested to her aunt, who seemed on board with the idea.

"Well Renaiya dear, I will do what's necessary. But I have to have those boys. It's our only hope."

"I understand, Margine. I will contact Dylan soon. We need to take our time on this, however."

"They've also got someone important in captivity that I need to rescue, but in due time. You may go, Renaiya."

"Yes ma'am, Margine." Renaiya took her leave.

"Boris, you may go too." Margine commanded, and Boris complied.

Another young woman walked in. "Mother, are you sure about all this? You do realize that…he…could turn Aran and Ryuden against us."

"I am well aware of that. But I'll be sure if that happens, that I'll be the only one who pays."

"But Mother! It doesn't have to be that way! We could use them to our advantage!"

"We can hope, but for now, we must make preparations. In a couple of months I will send you to investigate." Margine said as she stood up from her desk. "Speaking of _him_ , I need to go to his chamber. You may go back to whatever it was you were doing."

"Very well, Mother. Please be careful."

Margine left her office and walked down the hall, the clicks of her boots echoing through the futuristic hallway. She boarded an elevator and descended to the lowest level, then walked to a large room where there was a man kept in a stasis chamber. "Ohhh…ughhhhhh" Margine grumbled as she grasped the sides of her head.

"Hahaha, you think you're so smart, my pet. You may have my body in stasis, but you cannot suppress my spirit…"

"Lucius…enjoy your mind control while you can…you will soon bow down to me…"

"Oh ho ho, foolish harlot. You think that creating dragons from my blood and DNA would ever measure up to the real thing?"

"One of my dragons tore your daughter to ribbons, if I remember right!" Margine taunted the entity inside her mind.

"And for that I swear you will suffer. You will never win. You caught her off guard."

"Or she was merely weak!"

"Hahaha, well that doesn't matter now. Go ahead and bring Princess Saraiah to me. It's time I traded you out for a newer model. Someone so young, vibrant…someone who could pleasure me so well. Much more than you could, I'm sure."

"What the hell do you know, you vile creep!?" Margine shouted, as she punched the chamber.

"Oh ho, jealous? You had better calm yourself…" Lucius said calmly. Margine lifted her hand to her chest and began to dig into it with her fingers.

"N-no…please…" she whimpered in fright.

"I'd hate for you to accidentally tear your own heart out…" the dark entity continued as he released Margine.

"Oh Gods…oh…" Margine panted as she felt her heart racing intensely. "F-fine…you win…this time…" She quickly stumbled out of the chamber and closed the door behind her.

"Hahahaha…this is going to be fun. I'd love to have Saraiah become my number one Dark Angel."

* * *

"Ugh, Marky, I just can't seem to hit the target!" Yukari complained to her brother as they were practicing with guns at the firing range.

"Kari, don't be so hard on yourself! It just takes practice." Markas said sweetly as squeezed her shoulder.

"I know, but I don't wanna be kidnapped ever again. I also wanna help bring back Mom and Dad!" she replied as she aimed her weapon again. "I wanna be just like you, Marky! I wanna learn that awesome lightnin' magic too!"

"Sure thing! We can ask Ryuden to help us with that. He's only tha best of tha best o' black mages! In the meantime, I can at least give ya some tips."

"Oooh that would be awesome!" Yukari said excitedly as she fired her weapon once again. "Oh my Gods, I did it! I hit tha bullseye, Marky!"

"Excellent work! Keep practicing, and you'll get it in no time!" Markas said happily as he hugged his sister. They heard someone clapping. Markas turned around and smiled. "Yo, Ayako! What a pleasant surprise!"

"Haha, it's good to see you too, Markas! Yukari, that was great shooting you did at the end! Gods, I remember how proud of Aran I was when he started getting the hang of unarmed combat!" Ayako said as she smiled and hugged both of the siblings. "Also, Kari, you could possibly try for the Hunter's Guild one day! Maybe even Team Armasa!"

"Haha, she'd be an awesome addition to either team! It was actually Sam Frankewicz that taught me everything I know about bein' a gunner." Markas said with a smile as the three of them left the range.

"Doctor Frank taught ya how to shoot, Marky?" Yukari asked, wide-eyed with curiosity.

"Oh Kari, she may be a doctor, but she's one o' the best shooters around! She ain't the leader of tha Hunter's Guild fo' nothin'! She used to be an instructor while she worked part time as a doctor. Mom and Dad actually designed an awesome arm cannon fo' her. She keeps it concealed as a bracelet on her right arm!" Markas explained as he pointed to his own wrist. "They've taught me what I know, which has helped us be able ta carry many or large weapons without any issue."

"It's true!" Ayako said with a smile.

"Wow! Dr. Frank is so cool!" Yukari said, excitedly.

"She sure is, Kari! How 'bout I treat both o' you pretty ladies to dinner?" Markas said as he placed his arms across the shoulders of both ladies, whom both happily agreed.

* * *

"Wow Leina, these photographs are very lovely!" Emma said to her daughter after looking through the prints from the photoshoot. "Gods, Aran is so handsome! Are you two going to date or not, Leina?"

"Thanks, Mother!" Leina replied, smiling. "As for me and Aran…I think so, in due time!" she blushed as she picked up a picture of her and Aran together.

"A guy like that may not stay on the market very long, dear!" Emma came across another picture, which made both her and Leina smile. "He's a catch. Look at how in love with his son he is."

"He's a wonderful father, but he thinks he's screwing it up. I honestly think he has clinical depression, but refuses to acknowledge it." Leina said as a sad look spread across her face. "He'd rather try to make other people happy."

They heard the hallway toilet flush, then after a few minutes, Aran emerged from the restroom, while spraying air freshener. "Ugh, y'all may not wanna go in there for a bit…" he said, sheepishly.

"You're a real charmer, Aran." Leina said as she shook her head and smiled.

"Well, no man is perfect, I suppose!" Emma said as she tried not to giggle.

"Ya flatter me, Countess!" Aran chuckled as he sat down and looked through some more of the printed pictures. "I love the ones of Zaine and me. I still can't believe he's alive and well!" he said with a radiant smile as he looked over the ones that showed him hugging and laughing with his son. "Ryuden adores him. He decided he wanted to take him for the evening!"

"Speaking of Ryuden, look at this picture of him and Saraiah." Leina said as she handed him another photo. "And I love that little boy already! I had so much fun taking pictures of and with you and Zaine!"

"I did too, Leina!" Aran said, gazing lovingly at the blonde. He then looked at the picture of Ryuden and Saraiah. "Wow. The way they're looking at each other. Two people in love with each other and they don't even know it. Gods, look at how happy they are."

"So true. But they're in relationships. I suppose neither one of them want to take risks, so they settle for someone they're comfortable with, rather than the person they believe is out of their league." Leina said, somberly. "Tallon and Heather went to learn how to make potions with Dylan. Seems he's far more interested in his research than he is in Saraiah. She wanted to have a date night with him, but he decided to take up the potion making stuff instead. They had a fight and now Saraiah is hanging out with Ry." she continued, somewhat crossly. "Tallon and Heather didn't know that he blew off Saraiah."

"Wow. She's alone with Ryuden now? But what about Renaiya?" Aran asked, folding his arms across his chest. "That's a mess I'm glad I'm not a part of…"

"That is indeed a tough situation." Emma said, sympathetically. "I'll go prepare some snacks, I'll be back in a little bit." She stood up and left the living area.

Leina picked up a picture of her and Aran. "Look at how happy _we_ are." She looked at him and smiled.

"Uh…yeah! We definitely are!" Aran replied as he blushed. "Look at how gorgeous you are, Leina. To be honest, I don't want another man to have a chance with you…"

Leina felt her cheeks flush and her heart race. She had never experienced romantic feelings, but she was sure that was indeed what she was feeling. "Aran, I've never had any interest in dating anyone before. W-what I'm saying is…I-I'm ready to date, and I want it…to be you." she awkwardly stammered, as she began biting her lip and twiddling her thumbs.

Aran smiled as he observed how nervous Leina appeared to be. He found it rather endearing. He gently took her by the hand and interlocked his fingers with hers. "Ya know, I'd love that."

Leina felt her walls come crashing down, at least to him. Tears began welling up in her eyes. "You would? Oh my Gods…thank you!" she said excitedly as she bounced her knees.

Aran couldn't help but laugh when she thanked him. "Ya know, I ain't doing you a favor!" he leaned in and kissed her cheek, which caused her to giggle and cover her face. "You're so embarrassed! Wait 'till I do this!" he chuckled as he gently removed her hands from her face and planted a big kiss right on her lips.

"Oh my Gods, my very first kiss!" Leina wasn't sure what to think about the feelings and sensations she was experiencing. She did know that she liked it and wanted more.

"There's plenty where that came from!" Aran winked as he leaned back in and kissed her some more. "Gods your lips are so soft!" he exclaimed excitedly as he pulled her in close and pressed his lips to hers some more, this time slipping his tongue into her mouth.

"Oh goodness!" Leina said as she pulled away, breathing heavily.

"I'm so sorry, was that too far?" Aran asked, with genuine concern.

"N-not really, but I'm no good at something like that. I got nervous." Leina replied, sheepishly.

"Awh, I can teach you! Just use your lips, and use your tongue to tease mine a bit. It doesn't have to be sloppy. Just like this." Aran sweetly tucked a lock of hair behind Leina's ear, then slowly and softly kissed her, then tilted his head slightly, parting his lips as he did so. "Just follow my lead, my love…" he whispered softly into her mouth, and she complied, inviting him in and lightly sweeping her tongue over his. She felt herself begin to tremble with excitement and felt her heart skip a few beats.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed as she pulled away once again, her hand over her heaving chest. "What is going on with me? I'm shaking and my heart is palpitating…"

"My love, that's sexual arousal you're feeling. Is that…something you want to do right now?" Aran said as he gently caressed her knee.

"W-what!? No! Not yet!" Leina exclaimed as she faced forward and went scarlet. "That's something I need to feel completely ready for!"

"Right, I'm sorry!" Aran said as he too face forward, blushing.

"No need to be, I just wasn't expecting that!" Leina replied, giggling. "But I'll gladly be your girlfriend!"

"I'm completely ok with that!" Aran said, with a big smile.

"Ok, sorry I took so long! Who wants some snacks?" Emma said happily as she arrived in the living area once again.

"So Mother, I have something to tell you!" Leina said happily as she and Aran grinned from ear to ear.

* * *

"Ugh, who does Dylan think he is, blowing me off like that!" Saraiah grumbled, pacing around Ryuden's art studio.

"An idiot, that's what." Ryuden said calmly as he worked on yet another painting, of one of the photos from Leina's shoot earlier that day. It was one of Saraiah.

"Oh, I'm sure he has a good reason…" Saraiah said as she crossed her arms and sat on a stool next to Ryuden.

"Maybe a side ho…"

Saraiah quickly smacked Ryuden over the head and snapped, "That's not helping, idiot!"

"Ow! He's the idiot, putting you on the back burner like this…" Ryuden grumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Why can't he be sweet and attentive like you, Ry!?"

"Meanwhile, in the friend zone…"

"Ry, you're dating my sister, what do you care?"

"Just making a point is all. Don't get the wrong idea!" Ryuden folded his arms across his chest and stared at his work in progress.

"I wasn't. You're one of my closest friends, and you've been here for me, except when you left…"

"Can we let that go, please?" Ryuden said as he conjured a glass of wine. "Want some?"

"Sure! Wow, that's pretty awesome of you to be able to do that!" she said as she accepted the glass. "I'm sorry. I just really missed you, Ry. It just wasn't the same without you." She sipped the wine, and closed her eyes.

"Hey now, I'm back." Ryuden said sweetly as he placed his hand over Saraiah's. "I won't leave ever again."

"I just feel so inadequate, like I just can't keep Dylan's attention! I'm pretty sure he's not sketching me or even remotely thinking of me in any way…" Saraiah sniffled and fought back tears, then stood up and plopped onto the couch in Ryuden's living room.

Ryuden exhaled through his nose, then put down his paintbrush. "Maybe you just need to leave him. I hate to be that guy, but—"

"N-nonsense, Ry! I l-love him!" Saraiah cried as she buried her face in her hands.

Ryuden quickly walked over to the couch and sat down by Saraiah, placing his arm around her. "I'm so sorry, Saraiah. I didn't mean to upset you…for the record, even in captivity Ren and I are kind of on the rocks. I feel like she's hiding something."

Saraiah sniffled, then looked up at her friend. "Y-you are?"

"Yeah. It happens. I'm sure it's just a phase." Ryuden replied, reassuringly.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. I suppose I'm only adding to his stress by being so clingy." Saraiah said as she placed her hand on Ryuden's knee.

"That's NOT what I meant, Milady." Ryuden said as he pulled Saraiah into his lap, cradling her. "You're a great person, and you have a big heart. I'm sure Dylan will see that soon enough. He'd be a fool not to."

Saraiah hugged him tightly and leaned on his shoulder. "Ry, you're so sweet. Renaiya is so lucky." She then closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled the scent of his subtle cologne. She felt her heart racing and she felt relaxed in his arms, not really concerned that they were more affectionate with each other than usual.

"Honestly, Dylan is too." He smiled as he felt her soft, warm breath against his neck.

"You think so? Thank you Ry—" suddenly Saraiah jumped nearly two feet in the air off of Ryuden's lap and went scarlet. "Son of a bitch, you definitely do!" she exclaimed, pointing at his lap.

"Uh…h-how did that happen…?" Ryuden stammered as he frantically grabbed for a pillow.

"You tell me!" Saraiah shouted as she grabbed another pillow and beat him frantically with it.

"Hey, you were sitting in my lap, what did you expect—"

"You pulled ME into your lap, idiot!" Saraiah retorted as she pinned him on the couch, covering his face with the pillow. Ryuden disappeared into the shadows. "Hey, that's cheating! Show yourself and fight like a man!" Saraiah yelled as she stood up from the couch, menacingly shaking her pillow.

"Behind you, Milady!" Ryuden said while laughing as he smacked her from behind with a pillow, then pushed her onto the couch. His heart was slamming against his chest and he was really enjoying this pillow fight.

"Oh!" she exclaimed when she hit the couch, then felt Ryuden flip her onto her back and start swatting her again. She too was liking this far more than she should. They fought intensely with their pillows a few minutes longer, until they both collapsed on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Ryuden then heard his phone chiming. "I think that's Ren!" he exclaimed happily as he scrambled for his phone and answered it. "Ren! Uh huh. Oh. I see…ok then. Is everything ok? It is? Then why can't you…ok fine. Bye. Love you." Ryuden hung up then plopped down on the couch with a scowl.

"Ry, what did she say?"

"She canceled our video chat, again. She said she couldn't explain why. I suppose I should give her the benefit of the doubt…" Ryuden said as he placed his face in his palms.

"Damn, Ry. I'm really sorry." Saraiah said as she took him by the hand. "Let's go finish that painting, shall we?"

"It's ok. I suppose there's a reason for it." He smiled slightly and stood up, leading Saraiah by the hand. "We shall, Milady."

Half an hour passed, and Ryuden worked diligently on the painting, as Saraiah sat by and observed. Ryuden even had her help, since she too enjoyed art. He paused for a moment and stretched.

Saraiah stood behind him and began massaging his shoulders.

"Oh Milady, that's perfect right there. Yeeeeaaaah…" Ryuden inhaled deeply as he felt the fair princess knead his tense muscles with her fingertips. "You know just how to do it. Not too hard, not too soft."

"Oh, hehe thank you Ry. I'm glad I can help." Saraiah said sweetly as she continued massaging him, from his neck down to his lower back.

"You are a big help. In so many ways." Ryuden said as he swiveled around on his stool to face Saraiah. He then gently moved her in front of him, the two of them facing the painting.

"Aww, Ry…" Saraiah soon felt his fingers rubbing between her neck and shoulders. She felt chills go down her spine.

"Milady, you're so tense." He said softly as he rubbed the said spots with his thumbs.

"I guess I'm just really stressed out, Ry. But I feel a bit better at the moment." Saraiah closed her eyes for a moment, thinking over what she was doing. _"I don't care right now. This feels amazing and I'm going to enjoy myself. It's not like anything else will happen…I think…"_ She inhaled deeply when she felt Ryuden trace his fingertips down her back and the massage her sides, sometimes gently caressing under her shirt. _"I'm not a cheater though…am I? Ry is overstepping right now…but I don't want to stop him. My Gods, I can't stop him. It must be that wine."_ Saraiah stepped back slightly, towards Ryuden, and placed her hands on his knees. She let out a sensuous sigh, then said, "Ry, you know just how to touch me." She then went crimson. _"Did I just say that out loud!? He's totally gonna get the wrong idea!"_

"Anything to help you relax." He whispered right behind her ear, before he moved her hair aside and began kissing her back, and sometimes her shoulders.

"Ry, should we be doing this?" Saraiah asked, while short of breath. She felt chill bumps all over her skin.

"The question is, do we want this? We don't have to go far at all." Ryuden said as he turned Saraiah around to face him.

"How many drinks have you had, Ry?" Saraiah asked, while her body was reeling to go, her mind was far more reluctant.

"I'm…not too sure!" Ryuden replied as he started laughing.

"Silly Ry!" Saraiah said as she stepped closer to him and held him tightly, giggling into his shoulder.

"Yeeeeeah that's me, Milady!" Ryuden said as he and Saraiah made eye contact, his intense emerald green eyes gazing into her deep blue ones.

 _"_ _Oh my Gods, those eyes are my godsdamned weakness!"_ Saraiah thought to herself as she inhaled deeply, and pulled Ryuden in for a kiss. She felt him inhale deeply and let out a moan of pleasant surprise, then she felt him caress her cheek for a moment. She then quickly pulled away. "Oh my Gods, what are we doing? I'm sorry, I can't do this. I gotta go!" Saraiah grabbed her bag and quickly scurried out of his living quarters in the castle, and made haste for her car.

"Holy fucking shit, how drunk are we?" Ryuden finally said out loud to himself after he recovered from post-kiss catatonia. "Fuuuuuck we really got caught up in the moment…" he grumbled as he walked to his room and flopped onto his bed. Zaine was asleep in his guest room. He grabbed his laptop and opened his messenger screen and typed, _"Ren, I need you now. Please tell me you've changed your mind…I'm so horny right now I don't know what to do with myself."_

 _"_ _I'm so sorry Ry, I am too, but I can't!"_

 _"_ _Fine…"_ Ryuden replied, then closed his laptop and removed his pants. "Can't say I didn't try, Ren…" he said out loud to himself as he took matters into his own hands. "The things you make me do, Saraiah Raynes…"

* * *

"Dylan, are you done yet? I want you right now! Please just put your damn computer down for ten minutes! Pleeeeeease?" Saraiah begged of her boyfriend as she knocked on his door.

"Saraiah, please! I am way too busy right now!" Dylan said loudly, sounding irritated. "I'll be done soon, I promise!"

"Whatever, Dyl!" Saraiah replied as she scurried to their bedroom and stripped down, laying fingers upon herself. "Ry…you'd meet my needs if you could…" she said softly to herself as she closed her eyes and moaned softly, letting her imagination run wild. "His lips and eyes…how could I not kiss him?" She continued until she found her release, throwing her head back and moaning loudly, but softly. "Oh yes…touch me like that…work your magic on me, Ry—"

"Saraiah, I'm finally done! Let's do this!" Dylan said breathlessly as he began removing his shirt.

"Sorry, I'm good now!" Saraiah replied as she stood up and headed for the shower.

"Damn it…" Dylan grumbled as he lightly punched the door jamb. He walked over to the bathroom door, and found that it was locked. "I'm sorry…" he said as he walked, defeated, back to his office.

* * *

"Holy shit, Saraiah! Are you serious?" Amber exclaimed when Saraiah told her about the previous night's events. They were swimming in the castle pool.

"Yeah! I kissed him! I still can't believe I did that!" Saraiah said, sounding shocked as she floated on her back.

"Do you feel bad about it?"

"I dunno, maybe a little. Dylan can't help if he's busy, but Ry…my gods we just had this connection and it felt like an adolescent dream coming true. But it's nothing more than a fantasy. A one-time thing. I haven't spoken to Ry since last night other than some awkward good morning texts. Jeez, you'd think we did have sex!" Saraiah said, just before she submerged herself for a few seconds.

"Saraiah, hunny. If you were honest with yourself, who would you want to be with?"

"Dylan, of course! Things are amazing when he's not buried in his work! Ryuden may be sexy, but there's gotta be more than physical attraction!" Saraiah replied, looking as if Amber should know better.

"I asked you to be honest with yourself, Saraiah." Amber said as she swam right up to Saraiah.

"I am! Do you forget that Renaiya is in the picture here? It's weird enough that I kissed her boyfriend, I'm not gonna flat-out steal him from her!"

"I suppose you have a point! But it was just a kiss, hunny! Don't worry so much about it." Amber said as she kissed Saraiah's forehead.

"That's true. Thank you, Amby. But on a completely different note…Aran and Leina!"

"I know, right!? How adorable is that!? We gotta get the deets from her when we meet for lunch!" Amber said, excitedly.

"Amby, you sure are happy about that! I'm glad!" Saraiah said with a sweet smile.

"That's because I've got me a special someone too!"

"Whaaaaaaaa!? Since when!?" Saraiah exclaimed, wide-eyed with shock. "Oh my Gods, who is he!?"

"It's…a she!" Amber replied, blushing. "Truth is, Aran was the only man I've been attracted to. How coincidental it is that he looks androgynous."

"You're a lesbian? Holy shit, Amby! Still learning things about you after all these years!" Saraiah said, laughing.

"Yeah, I'm completely gay. I've finally come to terms with that! As for who she is, it's one of the other hunters! Hopefully circumstances will allow you to meet her soon!"

"I'm so happy for you, Amby! What does she look like? Can you tell me that?" Saraiah asked, excitedly.

"She's tall, slender, and has dark hair and green eyes. She's Mirrasseinian!" Amber said as she blushed.

"Whaaaaa? You and I have similar tastes! Except Ry isn't really slender. He's a solid 230. He wears it so well though, still lean without being too skinny!" Saraiah said, smiling. "I suppose being almost six and a half feet helps offset the weight! She sounds hot though!"

"Oh, she is. Trust me!" Amber said with a radiant smile. "But she can't reveal herself yet. She could compromise herself if she did."

"Right, I understand!"

* * *

"Miss Craven, you have a call." A prison warden said to Jennilyn as he handed her a phone.

"Yeah yeah. Gimme the phone and get lost." She snapped as she snatched the phone away. "Yeah?" she said into the handset.

"Jenn, this is on an encrypted line, and I must be quick."

"Fine, Margine. What do you want?"

"I need you to stay there a bit longer. I'll get you out in due time."

"Are you fucking serious!? I'm rotting in here, get me out now!" Jennilyn loudly whispered into the phone.

"You're in no position to sass me. You failed Sam Frankewicz already, if you fail me I won't be so merciful. So you shut your mouth and wait until I come for you myself. You understand?"

"Ugh…fine!" Jennilyn shouted before he hung up. "Come get the stupid phone, guard…"

"Very well." The warden said as he grabbed the phone and left.

"I suppose those Armasa freaks and those Hunter bitches can enjoy their peace a little longer…"


	11. Chapter 11

**_"_** ** _There's just something suspicious about him. Not like evil or anything, but I feel as if he's hiding something."_**

* * *

 _October 9th, 2122._ "Daddy….DADDY! Wake up Daddy…is time for breaktass!" said Zaine as he patted Aran on the head.

"Come on kid…you will really appreciate the value of sleep when you are my age! Hehe." said Aran as he sat up and playfully threw Zaine on the bed. Zaine squealed with delight as Aran pinned him down and began tickling him.

"Haha! Daddy's got you now! Ohhh nooo…" he said playfully as Zaine "tackled" him.

Aran laid still on the bed with his eyes closed, and Zaine said, "Daddy…I no mean to break you…I sorry!" he crawled up to Aran and patted his head again, and Aran sprung to life and grabbed his son. "Hehehe, gotcha!" Zaine squealed and laughed some more. "Ok Zaine, I think it's time we ate breakfast!"

"Ok Daddy!" Ryuden was waiting at the door, since he had accompanied Zaine to Aran's room. He gave a warm smile to Aran, since it seemed that Aran was truly happy once again. Aran quickly brushed his hair, which had grown back for the most part. It fell just above mid-back.

"So, how are things with you and Leina?" asked Ryuden.

"Ah yes. Things are going well. We are taking things slow." said Aran with a smile.

"Glad to hear it. I knew you two would get together! I'm starving!" said Ryuden as the trio headed for the dining hall.

"Ryuden, when do you not think about food?" said Aran, lightheartedly.

"Well…when I'm thinking about Renaiya, of course. Even then, I'm usually thinking of food in some way…like the time I licked whipped cream and sliced strawberries off her stomach…hehehe!" said Ryuden laughing.

"Ok Ryuden…TMI!" said Aran as he lightly punched his cousin in the arm and laughed.

"What? You can't tell me that you've never done something like that!" said Ryuden with a smile.

"Well, egg donor was always rather…traditional. We never did stuff like that. She was pretty much a tranquilized mattress. There was that one time though, with Saraiah…it was…chocolate hazelnut butter." Ryuden gave a sensual growl and bit his knuckle when Aran said that. "Yeah…me and Saraiah were rather adventurous…hehe…we totally did it in a dressing room at the shopping center one time." said Aran with a devious grin.

"Hah, you naughty boy! I can top that! Right in the swimming pool…King Cid was at the other end of the pool! All of you were there, in fact. She just straddled me and I moved her bottoms to the side. It totally looked like she was just facing me while affectionately sitting in my lap. Renaiya darn near took a chunk out of my shoulder…did I ever show you that?" Ryuden pulled his shirt collar down and showed a scar made from teeth marks.

"Dayum, Ryuden! Those Raynes girls are so dirty underneath all the cuteness and innocence! Know what's funny? I don't think Zaine has any idea what we are talking about!" said Aran, laughing.

"No kidding…those two have to be the classiest women I know, for sure. Cid raised them right, no doubt about that!" said Ryuden.

"Well…Leina may have an aversion to anything that's longer than mid-thigh…but don't be fooled. I didn't know this…but that son of a bitch Vince pretty much deflowered her. She had been a "re-virgin" the whole time. She has never had sex since she was…thirteen...and she's twenty-six now, also it was never consensual." said Aran, with a shocked expression on his face.

"Are you serious? How is that possible? She's so damn gorgeous! I'd think she would have done something with someone since then…" exclaimed Ryuden.

"Well…she's been pretty frigid most of her life. She had a really bad experience when she was thirteen...she was brutally raped. She never sought relationships after that. I think I'm the first guy in which she's shown interest in a long time, if ever. That's one of the main reasons why we are taking things slow. She has a case of PTSD from when she was raped…poor girl. I certainly do not want to push her." said Aran, looking somewhat cross after mentioning what happened to Leina.

"Dang…I guess that would do it…if you equated sex to pain, abuse, and degradation…hmm. I know you'd take good care of her, but I guess I can understand why she's reluctant." said Ryuden, looking sympathetic for Leina.

"Well Ryuden, we tried the night before last. She freaked out right after we…ahem…began, and she told me to stop and started crying and screaming. As physically frustrated as I was at first, I felt terrible about it. That's where this bruise right under my eye came from…she hit me. She was definitely not in her right mind. It seemed like she was reliving what had happened to her so long ago…" said Aran as he crossed his arms.

"Well shoot…that sucks. For both of you." said Ryuden.

"Yeah, but oh well. Since then we are pretty much just holding hands and doing that quick kiss thing. It's excruciating, but I don't want my horny ass to send her screaming and running away in the other direction from me, ya know?" said Aran, shrugging.

"Oh yeah, I totally get what you mean." said Ryuden.

"She's been talking with Sam Frankewicz about it." said Aran, with a smile.

"Oh yeah, Dylan told me that his mother is a rape victim too. She and Dylan were attacked…and she was raped…but she didn't have as much of an issue with her husband. It also pushed her to start the Hunter's Guild. That's good that Leina has her to talk to, though."

"Leina's having lunch with Saraiah today, then she and I are going out to dinner tonight." said Aran, as his expression turned from sympathetic for Sam to smiling again when he mentioned his plans for the evening. "She's been talking with Saraiah about it as well. Maybe Saraiah will tell her I'm boring at the absolute worst…hehe!"

"Hah, Aran. You're a trip!"

"Speaking of Saraiah, you two have been spending a lot of time together. Moving in on Dylan's girl, are ya?" Aran said, nudging his cousin.

"No, idiot! We're just friends!" Ryuden quickly retorted, punching Aran's arm. "Friends spend time together. Duh!"

"I believe you, but I think you might have a little crush, Ry…" Aran said with an amused grin.

"Seriously? I have a girlfriend, you bloody fool!" Ryuden snapped back, suppressing a blush. "And she seems pretty happy with Dylan. But…he really doesn't spend a lot of time with her. Always has his nose in his research."

"You've noticed that too? Well, I suppose it's for the greater good." Aran shrugged.

"Maybe, but she told me that he's constantly requesting blood samples from her." Ryuden heaved a sigh. "But…I suppose it's with good intentions. I just find it a bit weird is all."

"Yeah, he sure seems to want to poke her with needles a bit much…" Aran paused for a moment. "Well, as long as she's ok with it then I don't see the problem."

"Heh…I can think of better ways to "poke" her…"

"Whoa, Ry!" Aran exclaimed as he laughed. "I'm not buying that you don't have a crush."

"I will set you on fire, Aran! I was referring to Dylan…you think I was talking about…ME!?" Ryuden blushed and avoided eye contact with Aran. He hadn't really mentioned to Aran about what happened a couple months prior.

"Why are you blushing, Ry?" Aran asked, teasingly.

"Because you are embarrassing me with this delusion that I have a crush on Saraiah!" Ryuden used a single finger to touch Aran's shoulder and zap him.

"Gahhh! Stop doing that, Ry!" Aran exclaimed as he grabbed his shoulder and immediately began healing it.

Ryuden was holding up his finger as a small bit of smoke dissipated from it. The look on his face was one of pure amusement. "Anyways, let's change the subject, we've arrived at the dining hall."

* * *

"Dylan, Leina just got here! I'm heading out to Julia's Cafe!" said Saraiah as she put a light jacket on.

"Alright honey, have fun! You look beautiful, by the way!" said Dylan as he kissed Saraiah.

"Thank you, sweety! I love you!" said Saraiah as Dylan walked her to Leina's white sedan.

Leina got out of the car and gave Dylan a quick hug as she said, "It's good to see you, Dylan! How are you?"

"Doing well, how about yourself?" said Dylan with a warm smile.

"Great."

"Glad to hear it. I hope Maleigha's not giving you too much trouble, hehe!" joked Dylan.

"Haha! Nah, Aran's been awesome. He's my first boyfriend and I'm enjoying it." said Leina as she gave a big smile. "Zaine seems to really like me as well! He told me he wants me as a mommy and that he wanted a sister. You should have seen how red Aran turned…it was adorable!" she continued, laughing.

Dylan laughed too and said, "Zaine's such a cute kid. I think you'd be a great mom to him one day!"

"Leina, I'm so happy for you. You look so good now! I think my brother's been a good chicken soup for you!" said Saraiah as she hugged her dear friend.

Yes, Leina had always been pretty, but when she first met the Armasa Group on the warship, she looked obviously stressed and a little bit unhealthy. She had been rather thin and looked fatigued, and of course her eyes were always filled with sadness, even when she was smiling, and they lacked luster. Now, she has been eating healthier and seeking therapy, and of course having Aran as a boyfriend and Saraiah and Amber as best friends has really done her well. Her skin and eyes were glowing, and she seemed really happy.

"Thank you Saraiah, and of course, you are stunning as always!" said Leina, cheerfully.

"Well, you lovely ladies both look amazing. Now go have fun!" said Dylan as he hugged Leina and hugged and kissed Saraiah and sent them on their way.

The two women arrived at the café and turned a few heads. Saraiah had her long, red hair tied up in high, unbraided pigtails and was wearing a light blue, form-fitting v-neck shirt with flower designs, and the shirt extended just two inches over the top of her black, comfortably flattering cargo pants. She was wearing chunky black boots that had a four-inch platform rise. Leina had her blonde hair down and elegantly wavy and was wearing a beige turtleneck short-sleeved sweater and a brown skirt with a hemline that fell just above mid-thigh. She had on neutral colored pantyhose and brown, close-toed pumps that had three-inch heels.

"Leina, people are totally checking you out…hehe!" Saraiah whispered to her.

"Pretty sure they are looking at you, sweetie…" whispered Leina with a smile.

"Ok fine. They are looking at both of us. I must say, we look pretty damn good, Leina!" said Saraiah as the two of them sat down at a table.

"I guess we do! Even so…I think everyone in here pretty much knows us first and foremost as 'Aran's girlfriend' and 'Aran's sister'." said Leina, jokingly.

Saraiah laughed and said, "Yeah, I guess so, after everything that's happened! He's pretty darn prominent, for sure!"

"Sure is! I'm also still getting used to having a boyfriend that's prettier than I am!" said Leina, smiling.

"No way. He's beautiful, in the masculine way, but you are prettier! It's not like he wears makeup and dresses in drag…hehe!" Saraiah and Leina giggled for a minute after a vision of Aran in a dress crossed their minds.

"Thanks Saraiah! I do think that if he wore tasteful makeup…none of us actual women would stand a chance!" said Leina, still laughing.

"Nah, he's still too manly looking. Have you seen the photos of his mother? Holy freaking MILF!" said Saraiah, wide-eyed, with her hands in front of her, palms facing outward.

"Oh gods yes. Lucretia was smoking hot. No denying that." said Leina, serious, but smiling. "I know where Aran got his good looks from. His father was handsome too, but Lucretia…wow."

Both Saraiah and Leina sat in silence for a moment, entertaining a few naughty thoughts about the late Mrs. Maleigha.

"Saraiah, I need to talk to you about something…personal." said Leina, growing serious.

"Sure. Tell me all about it." said Saraiah.

"Princess Saraiah! Lady Leina! What can I get for you two lovely ladies today?" said the café owner, happily.

"Oh, hey Julia! I'll start with water and a small grilled chicken café salad with balsamic dressing!" said Saraiah.

"…and I'll have the small chef salad, with thousand island and water to drink! Thank you so much, Julia!" said Leina.

"No problem. I'll get that right to you!" said Julia with a big smile as she left.

"Phew, I need to make sure I have room for the really good food!" said Saraiah, patting her belly. "I'm not Ryuden…I would never challenge him to an eating contest, that's for sure! Every time we have lunch together he eats three times as much as I do!"

Leina laughed and said, "Me neither. I could take him in a sword fight, but if you give us food and tell us to eat as much as we can…I'm up a creek!"

"Leina, you're silly! Aran and Dylan sure can pack it away as well…and they are still smoking hot. All three of those guys! I hate them!" said Saraiah, laughing.

"Me too, and at the same time, I can't complain!"

"Amen to that! So anyways, what did you want to talk about?" said Saraiah as she grew serious.

"Saraiah, remember what I told you about two nights ago?" said Leina, her amused expression having faded.

"You mean when you and Aran tried to…?"

"Yes. I feel so terrible. I couldn't concentrate. Everything leading up to it felt amazing, but as soon as Aran…you know…everything seized up and it hurt terribly. I had terrible flashbacks from when I was…raped." Leina took a deep breath and let it out quickly as she said the last word in her sentence. "I started screaming and kicking him, and I even punched him in the face. It's like I was reliving that nightmare…and I was seeing my assailant. It was so bad that Aran had to throw his pajamas on and hold me tight to him and stroke my hair as he said 'Leina, I love you. I'm right here.' over and over again. I just didn't understand it…the assailants were all unattractive and had blond and brown hair, and the one who did the most to me had dark blond hair and grayish eyes. Aran on the other hand is obscurely gorgeous and has long black hair and red eyes. Yet I still freaked out. Oh Saraiah, I'm so embarrassed and I feel like a terrible girlfriend." Leina paused and inhaled several bites of her salad.

"Oh Leina…" said Saraiah softly as she caressed Leina's hand. "Aran's a great guy. He will do everything he can to make you feel comfortable, including waiting until you are ready. I'll share something very personal as well. It's about when I was with him." Leina nodded, and Saraiah continued, "…we were both virgins when we first slept together, and he was very patient and gentle with me, and it ended up being a really special experience for both of us. It HURT though, at first. You've probably discovered that Aran is quite…gifted."

Leina giggled and blushed, and said, "Yeah, I do know that! It could be part of why it hurt me."

"It's possible, since I was still pretty nervous at first. I was only sixteen and about to have sex. It was a huge decision for me. Granted, I don't have your exact history, but I've had a few boyfriends before Aran try to force themselves on me. I was well trained at that point though and was able to get away, and in one case, Aran heard me yelling and protesting and he protected me. Leina, you are in such good hands with him. Just try not to put too much thought into it. Aran's a passionate man and he's pretty hard to push away. He frigging loves you, Leina, and he's not going anywhere."

Leina gave a warm smile and squeezed Saraiah's hand. "Thank you so much, Saraiah. I just think I need to focus on him and not break eye contact when it finally happens. I still think it's going to be a while, though. Hmm."

"Well, Aran will understand. Oh, and three words. Chocolate hazelnut butter."

"Oh my gods, Saraiah!" said Leina as she laughed and blushed.

"Trust me. Also, the spot right below his ear, where his jaw ends…he loves to be kissed and lightly caressed there. Same goes with the spot right between his pecs where they meet his abs…" said Saraiah as she lightly bit her bottom lip. "Sorry, this may seem a bit awkward."

Leina blushed even more and took a deep breath, then said, "I will keep that in mind. And nah, not awkward. Just helpful."

Saraiah had traced her fingers along the inside of Leina's forearm while she was telling her about where to touch Aran. Leina felt strangely aroused by Saraiah's touch. She thought to herself, _"Whoa…did she do that on purpose? Saraiah's touch…it was…titillating…I kinda want more…This is ridiculous…I have those sensual responses, but once the actual event starts to take place, I freak out!"_

At the same time, Saraiah was thinking, _"Her skin…it's so soft. Part of me is jealous of Aran and wants to cure her of her issues myself…hehe! The best part is that she seemed to enjoy that…maybe if I…"_ she traced her fingers up Leina's other forearm and a sensual sigh escaped from Leina in response, and she returned the favor. Saraiah inhaled through her nose and an illicit sensation seemed to shoot from her arms all the way down to her toes.

Their little connection was cut short, however. "Ok ladies, are you ready to order your entrees?" said Julia as she walked back to the table.

Both Leina and Saraiah blushed immensely, then cheerfully ordered their next course. "Alright ladies, I'll get that right out as soon as possible!" Julia cheerfully replied as she walked away.

"So…that was interesting…what just happened." Leina said, avoiding eye contact.

"Sure was!" Saraiah said happily. _"I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I still can't believe I haven't really tried anything with Amber!"_

"Anyways, you and Ryuden have been hanging out a lot. Is there something I should know?" Leina said, finally looking up at her friend.

"Um…that we're just really close friends, Leina!" Saraiah replied, trying not to blush. "Even if he's insanely attractive…"

"Of course. You two just have a lot of fun together!"

"Yeah, Ry's pretty awesome! But yeah, Dylan's been so busy lately and constantly running blood tests on me. I understand he's got work to do, but I just get so lonely sometimes." Saraiah heaved a sigh. "So Ry's been keeping me company. We have lunch, play video games, and just go out on the town sometimes. We aren't secret lovers or anything!" she laughed slightly. _"It sure felt that way two month ago, that one night…"_

"I understand! And yeah, Dylan needs to make time for you!"

"I'll say, you'd think he'd be a bit worried if I was spending time with a guy like…Ryuden…" Saraiah blushed. "Aeons…even Dylan has a little crush on the guy."

"Well I guess I can see why, he's really handsome!" Leina said, giggling.

"Handsome? Hah, more like ridiculously hot…but alas, he's got Renaiya, and I've got Dylan. I'm not in love with Ry anyways. Besides, the guy isn't even remotely interested in me. I just wish Dylan didn't seem more devoted to his work than he is to me. And of course, Amber has been busy once again. Life is unfair sometimes." Saraiah shrugged, then Julia approached them with their food.

* * *

"Your highness, Tallon Ravencrow has arrived." said a guard.

"Glad to hear it. Send him in." said King Cid.

"Dad, what are you and Tallon doing today?" asked Aran.

"Well my boy, I have a new Aeon for him. I wish to test his summoning abilities and reward him with Ifrit."

"I see, so it's kind of like the exam you did with Saraiah and I." said Aran.

"That is correct, Aran. I'm actually guessing that Tallon may damage the training grounds more than you did!" said Cid, chuckling. "I'm glad we have Dylan and the other alchemists around to fix it!"

"Heh…well maybe his Aeons will. He is a tough cookie though, for a short, thin white mage. He totally decked Ryuden when we first met him! He totally threw the guy over his shoulder!" said Aran, with a smile.

"Wow…he threw _Ryuden!?_ The kid can't be more than 130 pounds…" said Cid, looking astonished.

"Yeah well, I weigh barely shy of two-hundred pounds and I can beat up several-ton monsters. Obviously weight isn't an issue around here! It was so hilarious though, watching big ol' Ryuden get tossed like a rag doll by a guy who's five-seven!" said Aran, laughing.

"I bet. Too bad I missed that!" said King Cid with a smile. "Where is he, anyways?"

"Ah, he took Zaine to the park. I was busy and Ryuden offered to take him. He's been a big help. Thankfully Zaine sleeps through the night! They should be returning any minute though, since Zaine really wants to see Tallon's test." said Aran.

"Aran! King Cid! How are you two doing?" said Tallon as he walked into the royal chamber, happily.

"You're here, Tallon. Very good. We will get started in ten minutes. It's good to see you." said Cid as he shook Tallon's hand and gave him a quick hug.

"Tallon! How are ya?" said Aran as he gave him a hug.

"Doing well, Aran. How about yourself?" said Tallon.

"Doing well. Leina and I are going to dinner tonight. What's Heather up to?" said Aran.

"Well, I'm doing great, Aran! I wanted to see Tallon's test as well!" said Heather as she walked in.

"Oh! Hey, Heather! What a pleasant surprise!" said Aran as he walked over to her and hugged her.

Tallon walked over to Heather and kissed her on the cheek and placed his arm around her. "Aran, we really should double date soon." he said with a smile.

"Ah, we should! How long has this been going on?" Aran asked about Heather and Tallon's relationship.

"Three weeks." said Tallon, smiling.

"Awesome! Congrats you two!" said Aran.

"DAAAAAAAADDYYYYYYYYY!" Zaine happily burst into the chamber and ran to Aran. Ryuden swiftly walked in after him.

"Heyyyy it's my little Z-Man! Did ya have fun with Uncle Ry?" said Aran as he scooped up his son and hugged him.

"I did has fun! Uncle Ry played on playground wif me! Der were ladies talking to him. He rather play wif me, doh." said Zaine.

"Yeah…I got hit on. I certainly wasn't intending to use him as a chick magnet, obviously!" said Ryuden, shrugging. "I kinda casually brushed them off. Maybe they think I should give up on Renaiya or something. Fat chance."

"I understand. I'm glad you two had fun!" said Aran. "Anyways, I think we should head for the training ground."

* * *

Tallon had changed into his standard combat clothes and headed for the field. He was armed with his staff. Cid was waiting for him.

"You have arrived. Your test is simple. Defeat Ifrit. Use any summon until you run out of them. Let's get started!" said Cid. He summoned Ifrit.

"Alright, let us battle!" said Tallon as he summoned Quezacotl.

"Whoo, this is gonna be good!" said Aran as he and Zaine watched the battle.

Quezo and Ifrit began their battle. Quezo shot lightning at Ifrit, and Ifrit sent a burning rock in Quezo's direction. The two Aeons dueled until Quezo was knocked out.

"Quezacotl!" said Tallon as he ran to his yellow bird. "You've done well. Get some rest." Quezo disappeared, and Tallon summoned Shiva.

Shiva managed to freeze Ifrit momentarily. "Not bad!" said Cid. "But that's not enough! Ice against fire? Bad idea." He commanded Ifrit to use a strong attack on Shiva, and she was defeated as well.

"Damn it!" said Tallon as he called Shiva to rest.

"Shit, it's not looking good for Tallon, is it?" said Ryuden.

"Just wait, Ryuden. Tallon's not done yet. Dylan gave him the Leviathan crystal…little does Cid know that he successfully obtained that Aeon." said Heather with a smile.

"Yeah, Tallon does seem the type to toy around sometimes…" said Aran.

"So, is he gonna do it or not?" said Markas, who was observing Tallon just standing in the field, looking disappointed.

"Just watch." said Heather.

"Well boy, better luck next time." said Cid as he prepared to send Ifrit away.

"Not yet." said Tallon.

"Tallon, you are finished. Both of your Aeons have been defeated." said Cid, looking confused.

Tallon's lips curved into a devious grin and he began twirling his staff as he said, with increasing volume, "Not all of them. Come to me…Leviathan!"

Cid gasped as the large water dragon appeared along with a massive amount of water. Tallon jumped onto the dragon's head and grabbed Cid and pulled him up as the water washed over Ifrit and knocked him out.

"Told you!" said Tallon, smiling.

"Wow…you got me!" said Cid. "Well done! I had no idea that you had obtained Leviathan. When did this happen?"

"Just a few weeks after we took down Sumestris. Dylan found the Fazium summon crystal while we were at the headquarters. They were keeping it secure." said Tallon. Leviathan swam over to where Aran and the others were, and disappeared, taking the water with it. The others were clapping and cheering, and Cid presented Tallon with a red Fazium crystal.

"Tallon, you have done well. I'm proud of you. Take good care of Ifrit. As an added bonus, I will let you have this one as well. This Aeon is almost as good as Aran is at landscaping!" said Cid, smiling, as he handed a shiny brown crystal to him as well. "Not like there's any being as destructive as Aran!" Cid chuckled and Aran laughed a little bit.

"Oh my gods, this is Titan! Thank you so much, your highness!" said Tallon with a big smile as he accepted the crystals.

"You've earned it, my boy." said Cid, warmly.

* * *

 _5:00pm, same day._ "I had a lot of fun, Leina. Thank you so much for inviting me to lunch! I had fun shopping with you as well…I think Aran will love that dress on you!" said Saraiah as she and Leina arrived at Dylan's house.

"I had fun too. Thank you so much for coming! I'd love to stay and hang out a little while longer, but I need to get ready for dinner with Aran! He's picking me up at six, and it's five already!" said Leina as she gave Saraiah a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Oh yes, get going! Stop by for hot cider and apple pie tonight! Bring Zaine too!" said Saraiah with a big smile.

"I'd love to, I'll throw that idea at Aran and see what he thinks. Bye!" said Leina as she got into her car and drove off.

Saraiah went into the house where Dylan was waiting for her. There were candles lit and a wine glass on the table. Dylan was wearing a black, short sleeved button up shirt and dark red cotton pants that were comfortably form fitting, not too tight. He was holding a glass of wine and had a crooked smile and bedroom eyes. "Hey, Saraiah." he said with a sultry tone.

Saraiah's jaw hit the floor. "Wow…Dylan, you look so damn hot." She walked over to the table and picked up the wine glass and sipped it. Dylan watched her glossy pink lips touch the rim of the glass. Her dark red hair glistened like fire in the candlelight.

"You are so beautiful, Saraiah." he said as he watched her. "I'm sorry for being so distant lately."

Saraiah walked over to her dark haired lover and pressed her lips to his. She gently pulled away and said, "I'll be right back." She walked to the bedroom and changed into a sexy outfit, a black tank top with rainbow colors and matching bikini underwear that tied on the sides. Her stomach was slightly exposed. She walked back downstairs and resumed her kiss with Dylan.

"I am such a lucky man…" said Dylan as he gave a sensual laugh and traced his nose along Saraiah's neck, kissing it softly as he did so.

"…and I, a lucky woman." said Saraiah as she lightly nibbled Dylan's shoulder.

"Ooh, hey!" he said with a smile. He nibbled her back, and she inhaled deeply, then he pressed his lips to hers again. Saraiah moaned softly as she parted her lips and invited him in for a passionate kiss. Their tongues danced and caressed each other, and only to press their lips together for a few seconds would they break the contact between their tongues.

The kiss grew more steamy and passionate, and Dylan had his hand in Saraiah's hair, wrapped around the back of her head as he had her pressed up against the wall, with his other arm supporting her weight. Saraiah's strong legs were wrapped around Dylan's waist while her arms were tightly wrapped around his neck.

She could feel the effect that this encounter was having on him when he brushed his hips between her legs. She untied one side of her panties and lowered Dylan's pants enough to liberate him, and she took him in right there against the wall.

After several moans and grunts and Dylan passionately rubbing against Saraiah rhythmically, they both found their release.

Dylan went weak in the knees and felt them shaking as Saraiah put her feet on the ground and tied her panties back in place. "Wow…" she said, still breathing deeply.

Dylan was on his knees and inhaling deeply as he pulled his pants back up. "Damn, Saraiah…I love you!" he said with a big smile. He started to regain his composure as he stood up and wiped his sweaty brow. Saraiah had run to the bathroom for a minute.

Dylan refilled the wine glasses after he sat down at the table and Saraiah returned. "Have a seat, my dear." he said to her sweetly.

Saraiah sat down and sipped her wine again. "Dylan, you are wonderful. I hope you are ready to be in it for life, 'cause I have no plans of cutting you loose!" she said with a smile. "How wonderful would it be, to have a little one, and raise a family…as husband and wife. Saraiah Frankewicz…I like the sound of that."

"So do I. One of these days, for sure. I'm definitely in it for the long haul, Saraiah. I know it hasn't been long…but you really are one of a kind, and I know you are the one I want as a wife, the one to bear my children. By the way, I have an early birthday present for you!" said Dylan with a big smile as he handed Saraiah a small, wrapped box. He inhaled deeply, as if he were nervous.

Saraiah took the box, and looked at it. "Well, open it!" said Dylan. His knees started shaking.

Saraiah complied, and slowly took the paper off. There was a black box, and she opened it. Inside, there was a silver ring with beautifully cut and patterned diamonds on it. Her heart started pounding as she felt her face get warm. "Oh my gods…Dylan…is this…?" she said, her voice wavering. She looked at him, to discover that he was down on one knee. She found herself unable to talk.

"Saraiah Faye Raynes…I love you so much…will you do the honor of becoming my wife?" said Dylan, somewhat nervously.

Saraiah's heart stopped for a moment, and she felt her eyes welling up. She looked at him, and at the ring, then she took a deep breath and managed to form one word. "Yes."

Dylan's eyes welled up as he took the ring and placed it on Saraiah's finger. Saraiah regained her composure, and started crying. "Yes, Dylan. I will marry you. I would love to become your wife!" she threw her arms around him, and Dylan said, through tears of joy, "Thank you so much…I'm so glad you said yes!"

"Oh Dylan, why wouldn't I?" she said as she pulled away to look at him.

"Well, I guess because it's only been five months, and I've been so distant!" he said.

"So what. I know how I feel about you, and it's not going to change!" she said with a smile as she gave him a big kiss. "I am so sorry that I doubted you. I just wanted your company all those times I bothered you!"

"You never bothered me! I'm sorry if it seemed that way, though! I've been developing a new potion, actually."

"It's all good! So…how about we celebrate?" she said, with a wink. "And really? You gotta tell me about it afterwards!"

"That sounds great. Let's go!" said Dylan as he stood up, scooped up Saraiah, and carried her up to their bedroom where they made passionate love once again.

* * *

"Leina, Aran's here!" Emma yelled up to Leina, who was finishing up her hair.

"Ok, invite him in. I'll be right down!" Leina yelled back.

Emma opened the door and did a double take. "Wow…you look rather handsome tonight, Aran!" Aran was wearing an untucked, somewhat form-fitting dark red button-up shirt that had the first two buttons undone, and he had on black, well-tailored slacks that fit rather well, and black loafers.

Aran gave a warm smile, with straight, white teeth, and said, "Why thank you, Countess."

"Please…call me Emma." she stammered, finding it difficult to form a complete thought.

"Emma, of course. So where's Leina?" he said as he turned his attention towards the stairs.

"Um…she should be down any minute…" came the reply. "By the way…where did that bruise on your face come from?"

"Oh…training. Saraiah belted me good." lied Aran. He figured that some information is better left unknown.

"I see. She's one feisty woman, that's for sure!" said Emma.

"Sure is." said Aran, casually.

"Aran! Hey!" said Leina as she walked down the stairs. Aran's heart stopped and he found it rather impossible to take a breath. "Babe…are you ok?" said Leina when she saw Aran's jaw hit the floor.

"Uh…yes. Wow, you look…sexy." he managed to form a brief cognitive thought.

Leina just smiled and said, "Why thank you. You look rather…sexy as well." Leina was wearing a silky emerald green dress that fell just below her knees and at the top, just above her bust, there was floral lace that you could see hints of bare skin through, and the lacy part extended into sleeves that stopped just above her elbow. She was wearing black, four-inch stiletto heels, and her hair was tied back in an elegant bun. She walked over to Aran and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and he raised his eyebrow. "What?" said Leina.

"Four inch heels, sweety? You are five-nine barefoot. I'm five-eleven. Do the math and think about that." he said with an amused smile.

"We're the same height right now, Aran. It's no big deal!" Leina replied, giggling. "You literally signed up for this!"

"Hah, I suppose you're right about that!" Aran said, shrugging.

"I was always two inches taller than Matthias! I'm sure you can deal with being the same height as Leina!" Emma said, laughing.

"Of course! Let's get going, shall we? What does Ryuden say…Milady?" Aran said with a giggle as he took Leina by the hand and headed out to his car. He opened the door for her.

"Thanks, hun!" said Leina as she got in. Aran got in the driver's seat and they headed out.

They arrived at the restaurant, the top restaurant in Seiyomari. Aran drove up to the valet and passed his keys off. The place was packed.

"Aran, it seems we are in for a long wait…" said Leina.

"Not really, sweetheart." said Aran as he winked and lead her to the host desk. There was a young man and woman standing behind it. "Good evening, Ethan, Vivian." he said as he removed his sunglasses.

"Ah yes. Aran, we have your table ready. Is this your lovely lady?" said Ethan. Vivian smiled as she handed Ethan two menus.

"Sure is. This is Leina." Aran said with a smile as Leina shook hands with the host.

"A pleasure to meet you, sir." said Leina with a smile.

"Same to you, Miss!" came the warm reply.

Ethan escorted Aran and Leina to a small table by a window and seated them. "I'm actually a server, I just thought I'd personally seat you two myself, hehe! What can I get you two this lovely evening?" he said.

"Well, let's start with the nacho platter, we'll split that. That ok with you Leina, or do you want something else?" said Aran.

"That sounds good, Aran. Ethan, what's today's soup?" said Leina.

"Well, we have white broccoli cheddar today." said Ethan with a smile.

"Oh yeah, I'll take a bowl." said Leina with a smile. "That stuff is fantastic."

"Yeah, make that two, Ethan!" said Aran, happily. "So yeah, the nacho platter and two bowls of today's soup. I'll have a beer to drink."

"I'll have sweet white, if you don't mind." said Leina, sweetly.

"May I see ID cards for both of you?" said Ethan. "You two look pretty young."

"Really Ethan, you know Leina and I are over twenty-one!" Aran said as he laughed and handed his card over.

"I know, it's just protocol, even if you're 80!" Ethan replied, chuckling.

"I got stopped by a rookie cop last week because he thought I looked too young to be driving." Aran said with a look of amusement on his face. "I was like, 'dude, I got my son with me, and I'm twenty-four…' he was all embarrassed and sent me on my way after he checked my card. It's my friend Tallon who looks fifteen, even though he's nineteen."

"That's pretty funny! But both of you are good. I'll get those drinks out to you right away!" Ethan smiled as he handed the ID cards back to the couple and headed off.

Just then, an alert on Leina's phone chimed. "Oh, a text from Saraiah…" she said as she checked her phone. She read it and smiled.

"Well, what's it say?" said Aran

"Dylan proposed to her!" Leina replied happily.

"Awesome!" said Aran with a smile. "Ya know, I was with him when he bought the ring. He had asked both Cid and me for our blessings. I was totally cool with it, and Cid thought for a moment, then said yes. I guess that's a father for ya! They are never ready for their daughters to grow up."

"That's true. My dad was an ass…but I never wished him dead. I miss him." said Leina as her expression grew somber.

"Hmm…I guess I can understand that…I definitely miss mine…I'm so glad to have Cid around, he's been awesome. I seriously would lose my mind if something happened to him." said Aran.

"I can imagine. He's such a good man." said Leina in agreement.

"Yeah, for sure. I hope I can be half as good to Zaine…" said Aran, as he rested his chin in his hands.

"I'm sure you will be. As I've told you before, you're doing great." said Leina as she took Aran by the hand.

Aran gave a smile with his lips and said, "Thank you."

"Aran…about the other night…I'm sorry." said Leina. She heaved a sigh after saying that.

"What for, Leina? It wasn't your fault. Hell, I was the one who kinda jumped you. I should have at least asked before seducing you like that…" said Aran, sheepishly.

"Aran…You shouldn't be sorry. I wanted it. I really did. I would have said something if I wanted you to stop from the beginning. I mean, we were alone together, and the way you kissed me, that's all it took. I've never willingly kissed someone before, especially not like that, and it was so amazing…I really wanted to go all the way, but I had no control over my thoughts and due to that, I seized up down there and it hurt, and I couldn't get the flashbacks out of my head. I'm sorry I hit you, by the way…" said Leina.

"It's no big deal…you hitting me. As difficult as this is for me, I want you to be comfortable. Don't feel like I think any less of you because of this issue. Look, like it or not, I'm in it for life. I love you Leina, and I'm not going anywhere, ok?" said Aran sweetly as he tucked a lock of hair behind Leina's ear. "Besides, we can work on this. We'll figure something out when the time comes again."

"I hope so…cause I really, really want to do that with you…but I want it to be good, and not be interrupted by stupid flashbacks again. Man…this is so frustrating! I feel ready to go at a moment's notice when you so much as look at me a certain way…but I can't go through with it right now!" said Leina, in an exasperated tone. She took a gulp of wine.

"Oh trust me, I know the feeling…" said Aran, who heaved a sigh, then continued, "…well, when it happens, for real, I'm sure it'll be wonderful for both of us."

"I'm sure…anyways, maybe we should change the subject, cause it's not helping!" said Leina, as she gave a little smile.

"Good idea. It really isn't." said Aran, grinning sheepishly.

"So…Saraiah invited us over to her place for hot cider and apple pie with her and Dylan, and she said to bring Zaine." Leina said with a smile.

"Sounds good to me!" said Aran, happily. "Have you decided what you want for an entrée?"

"Yes, the shrimp and steak dinner, with fries and broccoli on the side. I'm not afraid of a good dinner!" said Leina, with a devious grin.

"My gods, you get hotter every second, Leina!" said Aran with a big smile. "I'm getting the same thing. What man doesn't appreciate a good steak?"

"Not many, that's for sure!"

"I wonder what Ryuden will think of his girlfriend getting engaged to Dylan!" Aran said, jokingly.

"Oh gosh, you know he'd zap you for calling her that!" Leina replied, laughing.

"He makes it way too easy. I know he's dating Renaiya, but he likes Saraiah. There's not a doubt in my mind about that. The guy seems to be losing hope. He also mentioned that things are just fizzling between them." Aran's expression turned somber.

"I feel so bad for him."

"Me too. Let's just try our best to get her back, then those four can sort out their shit." Aran said, shrugging. "But yeah…Dylan. There's just something suspicious about him. Not like evil or anything, but I feel as if he's hiding something. From all of us, including Saraiah. What could be so important that he buries his face in his research when my six and a half feet of perfection cousin is spending so much time with her?"

"I'm wondering that too. She told me he doesn't let her watch him work. Says he can concentrate better by himself."

"Sounds stupid as hell to me, but I suppose it's not my business." Aran heaved a sigh. "But Ryuden told me that he feels like Renaiya is hiding something as well."

"Here you two go, are you ready to order entrees?" said Ethan as he set the appetizers down.

"Yes, two of the steak and shrimp dinners, with fries and broccoli!" said Leina, with a smile. Aran nodded in agreement.

"No problem, I'll get that to you as soon as possible. You two enjoy!" said Ethan as he walked away once again.

"I'm just taking bets on how long Dylan and Saraiah end up lasting. I don't wanna be negative, especially with the engagement, but ya know?" Aran said as he cut a piece of steak and placed it in his mouth.

Leina nodded, and said "She seems happy though, in spite of how distant he is. Perhaps Saraiah is hiding something as well. Possibly from herself."


End file.
